Triethoxysilane is an

organosilicon compound Organosilicon compounds are organometallic compounds containing carbon–silicon chemical bond, bonds. Organosilicon chemistry is the corresponding science of their preparation and properties. Most organosilicon compounds are similar to the ordin ...

with the formula HSi(OC₂H₅)₃. It is a colourless liquid used in precious metal-catalysed

hydrosilylation Hydrosilylation, also called catalytic hydrosilation, describes the addition of Si-H bonds across unsaturated bonds."Hydrosilylation A Comprehensive Review on Recent Advances" B. Marciniec (ed.), Advances in Silicon Science, Springer Science, 2009 ...

reactions. The resulting triethoxysilyl groups are often valued for attachment to

silica Silicon dioxide, also known as silica, is an oxide of silicon with the chemical formula , most commonly found in nature as quartz and in various living organisms. In many parts of the world, silica is the major constituent of sand. Silica is one ...

surfaces. Compared to most compounds with Si-H bonds, triethoxysilane exhibits relatively low reactivity. Like most

silyl ether Silyl ethers are a group of chemical compounds which contain a silicon atom covalently bonded to an alkoxy group. The general structure is R1R2R3Si−O−R4 where R4 is an alkyl group or an aryl group. Silyl ethers are usually used as protecting g ...

s, triethoxysilane is susceptible to

hydrolysis Hydrolysis (; ) is any chemical reaction in which a molecule of water breaks one or more chemical bonds. The term is used broadly for substitution reaction, substitution, elimination reaction, elimination, and solvation reactions in which water ...

. As reducing agent, triethoxysilane can for example be used in reduction of amides, reduction of carbonyl compounds in the presence of cobalt(II) chloride as catalyst, Cu-catalyzed reductive hydroxymethylation of styrenes, and Rh-catalyzed hydrodediazoniation.

References

Silyl ethers {{organic-compound-stub