Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Redox-Neutral and Redox-Green C-H Bond Functionalization

Transition-metal-catalyzed C-H bond functionalization has become one of the most promising strategies to prepare complex molecules from simple precursors. However, the utilization of environmentally unfriendly oxidants in the oxidative C-H bond functionalization reactions reduces their potential applications in organic synthesis. This account describes our recent efforts in the development of a redox-neutral C-H bond functionalization strategy for direct addition of inert C-H bonds to unsaturated double bonds and a redox-green C-H bond functionalization strategy for realization of oxidative C-H functionalization with O2 as the sole oxidant, aiming to circumvent the problems posed by utilizing environmentally unfriendly oxidants. In principle, these redox-neutral and redox-green strategies pave the way for establishing new environmentally benign transition-metal-catalyzed C-H bond functionalization strategies.