The chemistry of the carbon-transition metal double and triple bond: Annual survey covering the year 2015

This is a review of papers published in the year 2015 that focus on the synthesis, reactivity, or properties of compounds containing a carbon-transition metal double or triple bond. Highlights for the year 2015 include: (1) significant advances in the design of new precursors to carbene complex intermediates that serve as safer alternatives to potentially hazardous diazo compounds, (2) continued vast employment of olefin metathesis for the synthesis of complex small molecules and polymers, including many examples of Z-selective reactions, (3) design of novel transformations employing metallacumulene intermediates, (4) preparation of novel aromatic ring systems incorporating transition elements, and (5) uses of alkyne metathesis for preparation of highly functionalized macrocyclic compounds and novel polymeric materials.