Multi-Step Reactions Involving Iron-Catalysed Reduction and Hydrogen Borrowing Reactions

Iron catalysis has seen an impressive breakthrough during the last two decades, and iron can now be considered as a valuable alternative transition metal for organic synthetic transformations. More precisely, in the reduction area, it became an efficient player for the selective reduction of olefins, alkynes, carbonyl and carboxylic derivatives, imines and nitro compounds. This Minireview will focus on multi-step catalysed transformations involving at least one homogeneous iron-catalysed reduction or hydrogen borrowing step. In particular, the use of well-defined iron complexes is crucial to perform such transformations efficiently.