Synthesis, Structure, and Reactivity of a Terminal Cadmium Hydride Compound, [κ3-TismPriBenz]CdH.

The terminal cadmium hydride compound, [κ3-TismPriBenz]CdH, which features the tris[(1-isopropylbenzimidazol-2-yl)dimethylsilyl]methyl ligand, may be obtained via the reactions of either [κ3-TismPriBenz]CdN(SiMe3)2 or [TismPriBenz]CdOSiPh3 with PhSiH3. The Cd-H bond of [κ3-TismPriBenz]CdH undergoes (a) metathesis reactions with MeI, Me3SiX (X = Cl, Br, I, NCO), and Me3SnX (X = Cl, Br, I) to afford the corresponding [TismPriBenz]CdX derivative, (b) insertion with CO2 and CS2 to afford respectively [TismPriBenz]Cd(κ1-O2CH) and [TismPriBenz]Cd(κ1-S2CH), and (c) hydride abstraction with B(C6F5)3 to afford {[TismPriBenz]Cd}[HB(C6F5)3] that possesses a rare trigonal monopyramidal geometry for cadmium.