Cyclometalated Ruthenium Alkylidene Complexes: A Powerful Family of Z-Selective Olefin Metathesis Catalysts

The past 5 years have witnessed an enormous growth in the field of Z-selective olefin metathesis. The development of a new class of cyclometalated ruthenium-based catalysts has extended the utility of olefin metathesis to the synthesis of useful Z-olefin-containing small molecules, polymers, and natural products. This review highlights the recent advances in the area of Z-selective olefin metathesis employing cyclometalated ruthenium alkylidene catalysts, with particular focus on its applications and mechanistic basis. A deeper understanding of structure–activity relationships should aid in the future design of even more active and selective olefin metathesis catalysts.