An isolable iron(ii) bis(supersilyl) complex as an effective catalyst for reduction reactions.

An isolable 14-electron iron bis(supersilyl) complex, Fe[Si(SiMe3)3]2(THF)2, was successfully synthesized from the reaction of FeBr2 with K[Si(SiMe3)3] and its structure was unambiguously determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The complex is coordinatively unsaturated and exhibits high catalytic activity toward the hydrosilylation of carbonyl compounds and the reductive silylation of dinitrogen.