Selective switchable iron-catalyzed hydrosilylation of carboxylic acids.

Selective reduction of carboxylic acids either to aldehydes or alcohols is achieved using a one pot procedure based on iron-catalyzed hydrosilylations. Using phenylsilane and (COD)Fe(CO)(3) catalyst under UV-irradiation at rt, alcohols were obtained specifically in good yields, whereas aldehydes were selectively obtained using TMDS and (t-PBO)Fe(CO)(3) catalyst under thermal activation.