Ruthenium-catalyzed vinylsilane synthesis and cross-coupling as a selective approach to alkenes: benzyldimethylsilyl as a robust vinylmetal functionality.

[reaction: see text] Ruthenium-catalyzed alkyne hydrosilylation or silyl-alkyne Alder ene reactions provide entry into benzyldimethylsilyl (BDMS)-substituted alkenes. The BDMS-vinylsilanes are further elaborated through mild palladium-catalyzed cross coupling and show significant stability to intervening synthetic operations, including silyl ether deprotection.