Iron N-heterocyclic carbene complexes in homogeneous catalysis

Abstract

The development of homogeneous iron catalysts has been a prolific research field in recent years. Many catalytic reactions are no longer limited to noble metals. The use of N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) as ancillary ligands has made substantial impact in noble metal catalysis and also started to gain popularity in iron catalysis in recent years. This review article surveys the recent literature on Fe–NHC-catalyzed chemical reactions, including C–C bond formation, reduction, and oxidation reactions.