Stimuli-Responsive Olefin Metathesis Catalysts

The evolution of olefin metathesis catalysts throughout the past six decades has been driven by the need to accommodate more complex, more challenging and more sophisticated applications with this elegant and popular synthetic technology. These challenges have led to a myriad of catalyst designs, in particular the Grubbs-type Ru-alkylidene complexes with their superior tolerance of functional groups and high metathesis activity. Over the past decade, stimuli-responsive olefin metathesis catalysts have carved out a niche as catalysts of improved user-friendliness or of a widened applicability range. This Mini-review will highlight the various approaches to harnessing the changes of the physical or chemical environment to produce olefin metathesis catalysts with significantly changed properties.