Direct Sp3 α-C–H activation and functionalization of alcohol and ether

Abstract

Seven kinds of sp³ α-C–H activation/C–C formation reactions of alcohols and ethers have been reviewed in this tutorial review, from the viewpoint of both methodology and synthetic application, towards the efficiency, chemo-, regio- and stereoselectivity, catalytic system, substrate scope and mechanistic study. Section 2 describes radical-mediated α-C–H activation and addition/elimination of ethers with unsaturated (CC and CC) species. Sections 3–8 discuss the α-C–H activation and additions of alcohols and/or ethers with unsaturated (CC, CC, CO and CN) compounds, which involve the key processes of radical mediation, carbenoid insertion, 1,5-H-migration, oxidative dehydrogenation coupling, transfer hydrogenative coupling, and metal-mediated CC insertion into the C–H bond.