A brief review of manganese-catalyzed hydrosilylation is presented along with a personal
account of how the design for the highly active catalyst, (Ph2PPrPDI)Mn, was conceived. The reductive transformations achieved using this catalyst
are described and put into further context by comparing the observed activities with
those attained for leading late first-row transition-metal catalysts.
Key words
catalysis - hydrosilylation - ketones - manganese - ligands