Formation of C-C bonds via ruthenium-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation

Ruthenium-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of diverse p-unsaturated reactants in the presence of aldehydes provides products of carbonyl addition. Dehydrogenation of primary alcohols in the presence of the same p-unsaturated reactants provides identical products of carbonyl addition. In this way, carbonyl addition is achieved from the alcohol or aldehyde oxidation level in the absence of stoichiometric organometallic reagents or metallic reductants. In this account, the discovery of ruthenium-catalyzed C-C bond-forming transfer hydrogenations and the recent development of diastereo- and enantioselective variants are discussed.