Recent Advances in Chromium(II)- and Chromium(III)-Mediated Organic Synthesis

Synthetic transformations utilizing chromium(II) or chromium(III) reagents, mainly C-C-coupling reactions, are discussed. Chromium reagents find increasing application in complex total syntheses where other organometallics are difficult to apply. They are easy to prepare and exhibit extraordinary chemoselectivity and high diastereoselectivity. In this article emphasis is laid on recent results in synthetic procedures, on little known general aspects of (organo)chromium chemistry, and on areas not reviewed before. The most important recent advances include reactions catalytic in chromium ions, anti-selective Reformatsky-type aldol reactions with excellent asymmetric induction, domino radical/carbanion reactions, asymmetric chromium(III) catalyzed epoxide openings and homogeneous alkene polymerization catalysts. Some progress is also made in ligand controlled enantioselective reactions with Cr(II) reagents, but satisfying solutions remain a major challenge in the field.