Donor free stibenium cation as an efficient cyanosilylation catalyst.

The synthesis of novel stibenium cations and their catalytic application in cyanosilylation of carbonyl compounds have been described. Treatment of chlorostibine L1SbCl [L1 = 1,2-C6H4{N(CH2tBu)}2] (2) with 1 equiv. of AgOTf and AgSbF6 resulted in the formation of donor free L1SbOTf (3) and [L1Sb]+[SbF6]- (4), respectively. Among these three compounds, 4 exhibits excellent catalytic activity towards the cyanosilylation of aldehydes and ketones.