Abstract: The present invention describes chemical systems and methods for silylating aromatic organic substrates, said system comprising a mixture of (a) at least one organosilane and (b) at least one strong base, said system being substantially free of a transition-metal compound, and said methods comprising contacting a quantity of the organic substrate with a mixture of (a) at least one organosilane and (b) at least one strong base, under conditions sufficient to silylate the aromatic substrate; wherein said system is substantially free of a transition-metal compound.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of forming olefins, especially linear alpha olefins from fatty acids or anhydrides, each method comprising: contacting an amount of precursor carboxylic acid anhydride with a palladium catalyst comprising a bidentate bis-phosphine ligand in a reaction mixture so as to form an olefin in a product with the concomittant formation and removal of CO and water from the reaction mixture, either directly or indirectly, wherein the reaction mixture is maintained with a sub-stoichiometric excess of a sacrificial carboxylic acid anhydride, an organic acid, or both, said sub-stoichiometric excess being relative to the amount of the precursor carboxylic acid anhydride. The precursor carboxylic acid anhydride may be added to the reaction mixture directly or formed in situ by the reaction between at least one precursor carboxylic acid with a stoichiometric amount of the sacrificial acid anhydride.

Abstract: The present invention describes chemical systems and methods for silylating aromatic organic substrates, said system comprising a mixture of (a) at least one organosilane and (b) at least one strong base, said system being substantially free of a transition-metal compound, and said methods comprising contacting a quantity of the organic substrate with a mixture of (a) at least one organosilane and (b) at least one strong base, under conditions sufficient to silylate the aromatic substrate; wherein said system is substantially free of a transition-metal compound.

Abstract: The present invention describes chemical systems and methods for reducing C—O, C—N, and C—S bonds, said system comprising a mixture of (a) at least one organosilane and (b) at least one strong base, said system being substantially free of a transition-metal compound, and said system optionally comprising at least one molecular hydrogen donor compound, molecular hydrogen, or both.