
First reported case of hydrosilane activation mediated by hydrogen quantum tunnelling
A kinetic isotope effect (KIE) has been observed for the generation of hydrogen from the hydrolysis of a hydrosilane catalysed by a silyl-iridium(III) complex. This and other experimental evidence together with theoretical calculations have been used to demonstrate the participation of hydrogen quantum tunnelling in this catalytic process. KIE is a phenomenon associated with isotopically […]