Catalytic Hydrogenation of Sensitive Organometallic Compounds by Antagonistic N/B Lewis Pair Catalyst Systems

The bis(arylimino-Cp)ZrCl2 complex (I) forms an antagonistic Lewis pair with B(C6F5)(3), Treatment with dihydrogen yields the aminomethyl-Cp hydrogenation product (II) by means of a quasi-autocatalytic process. The salt III is an efficient catalyst for the hydrogenation of bulky imines and of silyl enolethers.