text: T. Don Tilley and coworkers were able to use the process of sigma-bond metathesis to design catalytic systems that work by the formation of carbon-carbon bonds. They first demonstrated an example using a scandium-based system, where methane is dehydrogenated and silated. Starting from phenyl silane, methane pressure converts it into PhMePhH using a Cp*ScMe catalyst. The scandium complex then transfers the methyl group to the silane by sigma-bond metathesis to form the product and the Cp*ScH intermediate. The favorable formation of hydrogen gas combined with methane will regenerate the methyl complex from the hydride derivative ().
  Cp*ScMe was also used as a catalyst in the formation of isobutane by adding methane to the double bond of propene. This was achieved when propene and methane were combined in the presence of the scandium catalyst and heated to 80 °C.