Asymmetric hydrogenation of functionalized olefins

The asymmetric hydrogenation of olefins containing functional groups constitutes one of the most powerful tools for the synthesis of chiral compounds. Far from being an exhausted field, the range of substrates that can be reduced with high efficiency is continuously growing. Moreover, advancements in the knowledge of substrate-ligand interactions have led to further improvement in catalyst efficiency. As well, recent research in the application of first row transition metals has a great potential in the expansion of the field. The present contribution covers the advances made in the hydrogenation of functionalized olefins in the last decade (2011 − 2020). Results discussed in the text mainly focus on progress in the synthesis of chiral compounds enabled by these hydrogenations, although some mechanistic considerations have also been included to give a better overview of the field.