Recent progress in cobalt-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation and hydroboration reactions of alkenes

Transition metal–catalyzed asymmetric hydrofunctionalization of alkenes provides straightforward approaches to access optically active organic compounds. Rhodium compounds ligated by chiral phosphine ligands are the most frequently used catalysts for enantioselective hydrogenation reactions unsaturated molecules containing C=C and C=N bonds. However, rapid development cobalt catalysis over past decade shows that some have equal or even better catalytic performances compared with their rhodium congeners in alkenes. This review highlights recent progress cobalt-catalyzed hydroboration alkenes, mainly from 2018 early 2021. Mechanistic considerations these will also be discussed.