Rhodium-catalyzed intramolecular silylation of unactivated C(sp ³)-H bonds

The treatment of a variety of hydrosilanes, each incorporating a benzylic C(sp³)-H bond, with a rhodium catalyst resulted in intramolecular dehydrogenative silylation. This silylation reaction was found to occur at typically unreactive C(sp³)-H bonds located at terminal positions on alkyl chains. Interestingly, the rhodium catalyst also promoted regioselective silylation at a site internal to an alkyl chain.