Chapter 13: Hydrogenation of Organic Compounds

The hydrogenation of unsaturated substrates is one of the most important reactions in organic synthesis. This chapter provides an overview of homogeneous hydrogenation of organic compounds catalyzed by coordination compounds. The hydrogenation of alkenes, including enantioselective reactions, is described first. Following that, the hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds is discussed, emphasizing the metal–ligand cooperating mechanism along with application to less electrophilic substrates, such as esters. The final part is devoted to hydrogenation catalysis with first-row transition metal complexes.