Synergistic Dual Transition Metal Catalysis

Synergistic catalysis, a type of plural catalysis which utilizes at least two different catalysts to enable a reaction between two separately activated substrates, has unlocked a plethora of previously unattainable transformations and novel chemical reactivity. Despite the appreciable utility of synergistic catalysis, specific examples involving two transition metals have been limited, as ensuring a judicious choice of reaction parameters to prevent deactivation of catalysts, undesirable monocatalytic event(s) leading to side products, or premature termination and other potentially troublesome outcomes present a formidable challenge. Excluding those driven by photocatalytic mechanisms, this review will highlight the reported examples of reactions that make use of two simultaneous catalytic cycles driven by two transition metal catalysts.