Hydrovinylation Reactions - Atom-Economic Transformations with Steadily Increasing Synthetic Potential

The intermolecular carboncarbon bond formation between two alkenes also known as 1,2-hydrovinylation reaction can be realised with different transition metal catalysts. The application of styrene derivatives, norbornenes and other alkenes in asymmetric catalysis with a variety of chiral ligands leads to a-chiral alkene products in an atom-economic transformation. Accordingly, the 1,2-hydrovinylation is one of just a few asymmetric transformations which produce stereogenic centres in the absence of polarised functional groups. The 1,4-hydrovinylation of terminal alkenes and 1,3-dienes can be controlled by the electronic nature of the alkene starting material for the selective formation of linear or branched 1,4-dienes. These adducts can be used for the synthesis of 1,3- as well as 1,4-dicarbonyl derivatives upon ozonolysis of suitable intermediates. As an extension of the 1,4-hydrovinylation reaction a cobalt-catalysed 1,4-hydrobutadienylation reaction is reported where two different 1,3-dienes react selectively for the formation of 1,3,6-trienes.