Cationic Ethylzinc Compound: A Benzene Complex with Catalytic Activity in Hydroamination and Hydrosilylation Reactions

The tight ion pair [EtZn­(η3-C6H6)]­[CHB11Cl11]·C6H6 (1·C6H6) was obtained through β-hydrogen abstraction and concomitant ethene elimination from Et2Zn with the trityl salt [Ph3C]­[CHB11Cl11]. This ionlike species shows catalytic activity in hydrosilylation and intramolecular hydroamination reactions. The amine adduct {CH2CHCH2C­(Ph2)­CH2NH2}3ZnCB11Cl11 (3), which features a rare transition metal–carborane σ bond, was isolated from a hydroamination experiment.