Chapter 13: Iron Complex-based Catalysts

This chapter illustrates some of the immense advancements made using iron catalysis in synthetic chemistry to develop more efficient, environmentally benign and cheap catalytic strategies towards organic compounds with high added value. Some key areas of interest have been identified including C–H activation, crosscoupling reactions between various carbon-sourced nucleophiles and electrophiles and biomimetic oxidation reactions. A compilation of key achievements is made in these transformations that have been shown to be important to both academic and industrial practitioners of catalytic chemistry with a strong focus on the most recent developments in the aforementioned areas. Some general conclusions are drawn at the end of this chapter and areas of further research are identified to stimulate the research communities to further amplify and optimise the use of green, iron-based chemical transformations.