Highly atom economical uncatalysed and I2-catalysed silylation of phenols, alcohols and carbohydrates, using HMDS under solvent-free reaction conditions (SFRC)

An uncatalysed silylation of phenols, regardless on the aggregate state and nature of the substituents with 0.55 equiv of HMDS under solvent-free reaction conditions (SFRC) at room temperature is reported. Sterically hindered phenols, carbohydrates and most of the alcohols additionally required a catalytic amount (up to 2 mol %) of iodine. The reaction protocol is very simple; obtaining a pure product, particularly of uncatalysed reactions, was frequently a completely solvent-free process.