Hydrosilylation

Hydrosilylation, also called catalytic hydrosilation, describes the addition of Si-H bonds across unsaturated bonds. Ordinarily the reaction is conducted catalytically and usually the substrates are unsaturated organic compounds. Alkenes and alkynes give alkyl and vinyl silanes; aldehydes and ketones give silyl ethers, while esters provide alkyl silyl mixed acetals. Hydrosilylation has been called the "most important application of platinum in homogeneous catalysis."

==Scope and mechanism== thumb|350px|Idealized mechanism for metal-catalysed hydrosilylation of an alkene. Hydrosilylation of alkenes represents a commercially important method for preparing organosilicon compounds. The process is mechanistically similar to the hydrogenation of alkenes. In fact, similar catalysts are sometimes employed for the two catalytic processes.