Chem

2017, 3,

The synthesis of acrylic acid and its derivatives with the use of CO2 and ethylene feedstock is an exciting yet extremely challenging reaction. In addition to the inherent stability of CO2, other challenges arise, such as the elimination of beta-hydride from metallalactone to release free acrylate. Since the ground-breaking work more than three decades ago, tremendous efforts have been made to realize an effective catalytic system. From historical findings to recent progress, this review gives a comprehensive overview of this reaction. Reactions mediated by different transition-metal complexes and mechanistic details are discussed in depth.