Accessing Two-Coordinate ZnII Organocations by NHC Coordination: Synthesis, Structure, and Use as π-Lewis Acids in Alkene, Alkyne, and CO2 Hydrosilylation.

Discrete two-coordinate ZnII organocations of the type (NHC)Zn-R+ are reported, thanks to NHC stabilization. In preliminary reactivity studies, such entities, which are direct cationic analogues of long-known ZnR2 species, act as effective and tunable π-Lewis acid catalysts in alkene, alkyne, and CO2 hydrosilylation.