Developments of CO Surrogates for Base Metal Catalyzed Carbonylation

Abstract

Transition metal catalyzed carbonylation which introduces CO into organic molecules presents one of the most important tools to synthesize carbonyl derivatives. Despite the considerable synthetic utility of carbonylation reactions, their advancement remains hindered by several critical limitations: (1) the usage of high-loading noble metal catalysts like Pd, Ru, Rh etc.; (2) the usage of toxic and environmental-unfriendly CO or metal carbonyl complexes. Taking safety and operability into account, the base-metal catalyzed carbonylation utilizing various CO surrogates has been identified as an ideal alternative to address the above challenges. In this research field, the development of small-molecule CO surrogates occupies a central position and has achieved remarkable progress. In this review, we will systematically summarize the progress in the development of CO surrogates for base-metal-catalyzed carbonylation reactions. Moreover, this review provides forward-looking perspectives to guide chemists in designing low-cost, more efficient, and environmentally benign CO surrogates, thereby establishing a robust foundation for the wider application of carbonylation reactions in organic synthesis and chemical industry.