Towards a catalytic hydrogenolysis of silicon-silicon bonds: formation of Si-H bonds from disilanes and H2 at platinum.

Reactions of the disilanes Cl2MeSiSiMeCl2, ClMe2SiSiMe2Cl and Me3SiSiMe3 led to the products of oxidative addition cis-[Pt(SiMeCl2),(PEt3)2] (2), cis-[Pt(SiMe2Cl)2(PEt3)2] (3) and cis-[Pt(SiMe3)2(PEt3)2] (4). Complex cis-[Pt(SiMe2Cl)2(PEt3)2] (3) converts in the presence of dihydrogen into two equivalents HSiMe2Cl and complex trans-[PtH2(PEt3)2] (10). NMR investigations reveal the initial formation of trans-[PtH(SiMe2Cl)(PEt3)2] (5) and one equivalent HSiMe2Cl.