Catalytic C–H functionalization by metal carbenoid and nitrenoid insertion

Abstract

It can be extremely difficult to alter a specific carbon–hydrogen bond in a complex molecule without modifying other parts of that molecule. But it can be done, and 'C–H activation' (or 'C–H functionalization') has received much attention recently, in part thanks to newly discovered catalysts that are able to selectively target and modify key C–H bonds in the presence of other functional groups. In a review, Huw Davies and James Manning explore how the insertion of metal carbenes and nitrenes into a specific C–H bond has been used to efficiently synthesize natural products and potential pharmaceutical agents. Novel reactions that can selectively functionalize carbon–hydrogen bonds are of intense interest to the chemical community because they offer new strategic approaches for synthesis. A very promising ‘carbon–hydrogen functionalization’ method involves the insertion of metal carbenes and nitrenes into C–H bonds. This area has experienced considerable growth in the past decade, particularly in the area of enantioselective intermolecular reactions. Here we discuss several facets of these kinds of C–H functionalization reactions and provide a perspective on how this methodology has affected the synthesis of complex natural products and potential pharmaceutical agents.