This thesis covers the development of catalytic methodologies for the mild and chemoselective hydrosilylation of amides. The first part describes the investigation of the Mo(CO)₆-catalyzed reduction of carboxamides. It was found that the reduction could be controlled by tuning the reaction temperature and either amines or aldehydes could be obtained selectively. The system showed an unprecedented chemoselectivity and the amide reduction could take place in the presence of other reducible functional groups such as ketones, aldehydes, and imines. Moreover, the transformation could be performed on a preparative scale and was further employed in the synthesis of Donepezil, a pharmaceutical drug used in the treatment of Alzheimer´s disease.

The third chapter concerns the development of the Mo(CO)₆-mediated hydrosilylation protocol for the reduction of carboxamides containing acidic α-hydrogens. In this case, enamines were formed and a high level of chemoselectivity was observed. Enamines containing sensitive functional groups such as ketones, aldehydes and imines were generated. The enamines were not isolated but used in subsequent catalytic reductive functionalization of amides, which is described in the last part of the thesis (Chapters 4 – 7). The in situ formed enamines were reacted with a wide variety of electrophiles, generating heterocyclic compounds as triazolines, triazoles, 4,5-dihydroisoxazoles and pyrimidinediones. N-sulfonylformamidines as well as thioacrylamides could also be prepared with this approach. The protocols for the synthesis of triazolines, triazoles and N-sulfonylformamidines could additionally be performed on a preparative scale, showing the practicality of the methodology.