Alkaline Earth Chemistry: Applications in Catalysis

A catalytic heavier alkaline earth chemistry somewhat reminiscent of d⁰ transition metal catalysis has emerged in the first decade of the twenty-first century. As complexes of these elements are effectively redox inactive, catalytic reactivity is dependent on the viability of sequential σ-bond metathesis and/or polarized insertion steps. This chapter reviews this reactivity with an emphasis upon the types of processes which have been reported as well as the fundamental insights into alkaline earth reactivity that have been deduced from catalytic and stoichiometric mechanistic studies.