Chemo- and stereoselective iron-catalyzed hydrosilylation of ketones.

The reduction of ketones with polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS) gives the corresponding alcohols in good to excellent yield applying iron-based catalyst systems. In the case of prochiral ketones, the use of Fe(OAc)(2)/(S,S)-Me-DuPhos leads to high enantioselectivity up to 99% ee. The reaction proceeds in the presence of several functional groups such as esters, halides as well as conjugated double bonds, with high chemoselectivity. The advantage of this protocol is that the reaction requires no activating agents or additives.