Catalytic carbonylation with CO₂ : The latest updates on C1-carbonylative homologation of carbon scaffolds by means of metal catalyzed fixation of CO₂ are collected in the present Review article. Innovative catalytic systems, enabling technologies and mechanistic investigations are contributing to the current developments of this fascinating research field.

Abstract

The utilization of CO₂ as an efficient and environmentally friendly chemical analogue of CO is becoming a solid reality in the chemical scenario. CO₂-based carbonylations have started paralleling the more consolidated carboxylation procedures, opening new horizons and perspectives in the utilization of carbon dioxide as an organic C1-containing building block. The advent of efficient and site-selective metal-catalyzed protocols for the fixation of CO₂ into organic scaffolds, under controlled reductive conditions, contributed substantially to the development of robust, efficient, and convenient protocols. In the present Review article, a collection of the most recent examples of metal-catalyzed CO₂-based carbonylations is documented with a particular emphasis on mechanistic aspects.