Bis(imino)pyridine iron complexes for aldehyde and ketone hydrosilylation.

Bis(imino)pyridine iron dinitrogen and dialkyl complexes are well-defined precatalysts for the chemo- and regioselective reduction of aldehydes and ketones. Efficient carbonyl hydrosilylation is observed at low (0.1-1.0 mol %) catalyst loadings and with 2 equiv of either PhSiH(3) or Ph(2)SiH(2), representing one of the most active iron-catalyzed carbonyl reductions reported to date.