Functionalization of organic molecules by transition-metal-catalyzed C(sp3)-H activation

Abstract

Transition-metal-catalyzed C-H activation has recently emerged as a powerful tool for the functionalization of organic molecules. While many efforts have focused on the functionalization of arenes and heteroarenes by this strategy in the past two decades, much less research has been devoted to the activation of nonacidic C-H bonds of alkyl groups. This Minireview highlights recent work in this area, with a particular emphasis on synthetically useful methods. © 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.