Constructing a triangular metallacycle with salen-Al and its application to a catalytic cyanosilylation reaction.

A triangular metallosalen-based metallacycle was constructed in quantitative yield by the self-assembly of a 180° bis(pyridyl)salen-Al complex and a 60° diplatinum(II) acceptor in a 1 : 1 stoichiometric ratio. This metallacycle was then successfully used to cyanosilylate a wide range of benzaldehydes with trimethylsilyl cyanide.