Transition metal-catalyzed site- and regio-divergent C-H bond functionalization

Abstract

Recent advances in transition metal-catalyzed C-H bond functionalization have profoundly impacted synthetic strategy. Since organic substrates typically contain several chemically distinct C-H bonds, controlling the regioselectivity of C-H bond functionalization is imperative to harness its full potential. Moreover, the ability to alter reaction pathways to selectively functionalize different C-H bonds in a substrate represents a greater opportunity and challenge. The choice of catalysts, ligands, solvents, and even more subtle variations of the reaction conditions have been shown to allow the formation of regioisomeric C-H functionalization products starting from the same precursors. This review describes recent advances in transition metal-catalyzed divergent C-H bond functionalization that highlight its potential in organic synthesis. © 2017 The Royal Society of Chemistry.