Transformation of Carbon Dioxide with Homogeneous Transition-Metal Catalysts: A Molecular Solution to a Global Challenge?

A plethora of methods have been developed over the years so that carbon dioxide can be used as a reactant in organic synthesis. Given the abundance of this compound, its utilization in synthetic chemistry, particularly on an industrial scale, is still at a rather low level. In the last 35 years, considerable research has been performed to find catalytic routes to transform CO2 into carboxylic acids, esters, lactones, and polymers in an economic way. This Review presents an overview of the available homogeneous catalytic routes that use carbon dioxide as a C1 carbon source for the synthesis of industrial products as well as fine chemicals. Renewable carbon resources, such as carbon dioxide, are of enormous interest as an entry into industrially relevant chemicals, such as formic or salicylic acids, urea, and (poly)carbonates. This Review highlights the use of CO2 as a C1 feedstock as well as its transformation with homogeneous molecular transition‐metal catalysts.