Nonprecious metal catalysis is a
highly active area of research
for both industrial and academic laboratories. New methods that efficiently
generate useful functionality in cost-effective, high yielding, and
environmentally friendly ways naturally garner attention from process
chemists in many different industries. This series of highlights summarizes
literature on the general topic of nonprecious metal catalysis over
four-month timeframes and will focus on major trends in the field
that are of general interest in the pharmaceutical industry. The first
installment highlights selected transformations using copper, nickel,
and iron catalysts.