A redox-economic method for the direct coupling of olefins that uses an inexpensive iron catalyst and a silane reducing agent is reported. Thus, unactivated olefins can be joined directly to electron-deficient olefins in both intra-and intermolecular settings to generate hindered bicyclic systems, vicinal quaternary centers, and even cyclopropanes in good yield. The reaction is not sensitive to oxygen or moisture and has been performed on gram ...
