A novel iron complex for highly efficient catalytic hydrogen generation from the hydrolysis of organosilanes.

Hydrolytic oxidation of organosilanes based on an iron catalyst is described for the first time. The novel iron complex, [Fe(C6H5N2O)(CO)(MeCN)3][PF6], exhibits excellent mediating power in the catalytic hydrolysis of organosilanes to produce dihydrogen and organosilanols with turnover numbers approaching 10(4) and turnover frequencies in excess of 10(2) min(-1) under ambient conditions.