The cobalt(II) complex of a new tridentate Schiff-base ligand as a catalyst for hydrosilylation of olefins

•Synthesis of new Schiff-base ligand and its cobalt(II) complex are reported•Crystallographic structures of ligand L and [CoLCl2] complex are presented•Cobalt complex induces hydrosilylation and dehydrogenative silylation of alkenes

Condensation of 1-methyl-2-imidazolecarboxaldehyde with 2-(1-methylhydrazinyl)pyridine results in the synthesis of new, tridentate Schiff-base ligand L, which readily reacts with CoCl2 to form a monometallic [CoLCl2] complex that, upon reduction, functions as active hydrosilylation catalyst. The ligand and the [CoLCl2] catalyst have been characterized spectroscopically (MS, NMR, FTIR) and by single crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. The results of preliminary catalytic experimentation show that the cobalt complex can induce hydrosilylation and dehydrogenative silylation of olefins, depending upon the hydrosilane substrate used.

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