Intercepting low oxidation state main group hydrides with a nucleophilic N-heterocyclic olefin

The N-heterocyclic olefin, IPr=CH2 (IPr = [(HCNDipp)(2)C], Dipp = 2,6-(Pr2C6H3)-Pr-i) has been demonstrated to be of sufficient Lewis basicity to stabilize main group hydrides in unusually low oxidation states.