The reduction of diverse functional groups is an essential protocol in organic chemistry. Transition-metal catalysis has been successfully applied to the reduction of olefins, alkynes, and many carbonyl compounds via hydrogenation or hydrosilylation; the latter presenting several advantages over hydrogenation. Notably, hydrosilylation generally occurs under mild reaction conditions, and consequently over-reduced products are rarely detected. Moreover, the great majority of hydrosilanes employed in this reaction are easily handled, inexpensive, or both.
Copper, silver, and gold complexes in hydrosilylation reactions
Acc. Chem. Res. 2008, 41, 349-358.