Oxidative addition of ammonia at a silicon(II) center and an unprecedented hydrogenation reaction of compounds with low-valent group 14 elements using ammonia borane.

The reaction of L'Si [L' = CH{(C=CH(2))(CMe)(2,6-iPr(2)C(6)H(3)N)(2)}] with ammonia under oxidative addition results in L'Si(H)NH(2). H(3)NBH(3) functions as a source of hydrogen for the hydrogenation of N-heterocyclic carbenes and germylenes.