Homogeneous metal catalysis for conversion between aromatic and saturated compounds

In the past few decades, homogeneous catalysis of arene and heteroarene reduction has grown into a mature research field. In particular, hydrogenation of heteroaromatic systems facilitates rapid access to many classes of fine chemicals and pharmaceutically relevant compounds. In this review, we discuss the advancements made in the field of homogeneous metal-catalyzed arene and heteroarene hydrogenation from its early beginnings to the present day. We also review homogeneous catalysts for the reverse dehydrogenation of cyclic saturated species back to their aromatic counterparts, as well as single-catalyst systems capable of performing reversible hydrogenation-dehydrogenation reactions.