In conjunction with the world-wide license agreement with Bluestar Silicones France, Umicore announced its offering of advanced Platinum N-heterocyclic carbene catalysts expanding the range of hydrosilylation applications for both silicone and fine chemical industries. Technological progress in the hydrosilylation catalyst market stagnated for many years. With the introduction of the new catalysts, Umicore finally brings innovation to the market by making the catalysts available to all users. The new catalysts are expected to have a great potential to push novel specialty silicone and many other applications.

Based on the inventions of Prof István Markó's group (Catholic University of Louvain-la-Neuve) and Sébastien Stérin (Bluestar Silicones), exclusively licensed from Bluestar Silicones and combined with Umicore´s proprietary IP, this new type of catalyst offers advantages over conventional types of hydrosilylation catalysts in terms of selectivity, activity and productivity. Due to the stabilizing effect of the strongly binding N-heterocyclic carbene ligand, formation of platinum colloids is avoided and formation of byproducts via isomerization or hydrogenation is suppressed.

The new (NHC)Pt(vs) catalysts perfectly complement the existing portfolio of (NHC)Pd complexes (Umicore CX series for cross coupling) and (NHC)Ru complexes (Umicore M series for metathesis). "Decades of industrial experience as a leading supplier of precious metals chemicals (PMC) and catalysts to diverse industries provide an invaluable platform for new catalyst developments," said Dr. Volker Raab, global segment director, Umicore. "Umicore PMC is very pleased to introduce a new type of catalysts for versatile hydrosilylation reactions with profound catalytic advantages".

The new (NHC)Pt(vs) catalysts Umicore HS425 (IPr)Pt(vs) and Umicore HS427 (ICy)Pt(vs) have recently been added to Umicore's catalyst portfolio. "Bluestar Silicones has developed commercial applications using the (NHC)Pt(0) technology and is continuing to explore its potential. By choosing a license agreement with Umicore, we have chosen a highly competent partner," said Dr. Louis Vovelle, vice president innovation & strategy, Bluestar Silicones.