Effective conditions for the hydroarylation of vinylsilanes, allowing functionalization of various aromatic ketones in good yields at low temperature, using isopropanol, a protic solvent, are reported. Moreover, conducting this C−C bond-forming reaction under conditions similar to those used for hydride transfer reduction, the reduction of the ketone could be suppressed, simply by using acetone cosolvent
To obtain further insight into the new ruthenium-catalyzed reaction of carbon–hydrogenbonds in aromatic ketones with olefins, the effect of various substituents at the aromatic ring is examined. Reaction of o-methylacetophenone with triethoxyvinylsilane (2) in the presence of [Ru(H)2(CO)(PPh3)3] (3)as the catalyst gave the 1 : 1 addition product in quantitative yield. Similarly, the ketone having