Olefin Metathesis Reactions: From a Historical Account to Recent Trends

This chapter underlines the role of the development of ideas and research efforts that have led to a success story in the advancement of metathesis chemistry and its applications. It includes examples of the most recent and major developments and applications of the various metathesis reactions, with emphasis on catalyst design and sustainable chemistry. Chauvin's mechanism applies to the whole range of olefin metathesis reactions, including cross metathesis (CM), ring-closing metathesis (RCM), acyclic diene metathesis polymerization (ADMEP), ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP), enyne metathesis (EYM), and ring-opening cross metathesis (ROCM). The success of Grubbs' approach to stable benzylidene complexes containing the electrophilic benzylidene ligand may appear, by comparison, somewhat surprising, but it is due to the neutrality of the complexes, thus affording a considerably reduced electrophilicity of the carbene ligand compared to cationic complexes, and the great versatility of ruthenium that forms stable 16-electron complexes.