The Selection of Catalysts for Metal Carbene Transformations

A selective survey of the literature since 2013 that includes novel catalytic strategies and transformations involving electrophilic metal carbene intermediates is presented. This review is organized according to donor and acceptor substituents of the carbene precursor and provides an overview of the rapidly expanding field of electrophilic metal carbene generation and reactions. New developments in catalyst and ligand design, the expanded uses of diazo compounds, and the profusion of transformations are presented. The rapid expansion in applications of electrophilic metal carbenes from cyclopropanation and C–H insertion to cycloaddition and reactions of carbene-generated ylides are among the highlighted developments that are discussed.