Cobalt Complex-Catalyzed Hydrosilylation of Alkenes and Alkynes

The demand for economical and environmentally benign catalysts for important chemical transformations has recently initiated great efforts on nonprecious metal-catalyzed hydrosilylation reactions. The special chemical properties of cobalt enable the development of diverse cobalt complex-based catalysts for hydrosilylation reactions. This paper reviews the significant advances of cobalt complex-catalyzed hydrosilylation of alkenes and alkynes from the early studies in the 1960s until now, with the objective of providing readers with the status of the field and the underlying late 3 d metal chemistry that is meaningful for new nonprecious metal catalyst design. Progress, problems, and perspectives in this vibrant field are discussed.