Transition metal-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of prochiral alkenes is an important method for the construction of chiral compounds, and has garnered great attention due to its operational simplicity, ease of work-up, and high atom economy. It mainly relied on noble metal catalytic systems such as ruthenium, rhodium, iridium, and palladium. However, these metals suffer from limited resources, high costs, and potential environmental risks. Therefore, over the past few decades, researchers have focused on the development of catalytic systems based on earth-abundant, low- or non-toxic, and environmentally friendly iron-group metals, including iron, cobalt, and nickel. Significant breakthroughs have been achieved in the field of asymmetric hydrogenation using these metals. The recent progress in iron-group metal (Fe, Co, Ni)-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of alkenes (C=C) is briefly reviewed, and the in-depth analysis of the advantages and limitations of these catalytic systems in terms of substrate scope, catalytic efficiency, and selectivity is provided. Although remarkable progress has been made, the field still faces some challenges, including unclear reaction mechanisms and a lack of efficient chiral ligands. Future efforts should focus on the development of new, easily accessible chiral ligands and exploring more universal catalytic systems.

Key words: asymmetric hydrogenation, earth-abundant transition metal, olefin, chiral compound, stereoselectivity