Merging C–H and C–C bond cleavage in organic synthesis

Abstract

Metal-catalysed functionalization of a carbon–hydrogen bond can occur selectively even in the presence of ostensibly more reactive functional groups. Such conversions have changed our perceptions of organic chemistry because we can now consider a C–H bond as a functional group, the reactions of which are among the most attractive and powerful means to rapidly add complexity. Another versatile tool in organic synthesis is the metal-catalysed selective cleavage of C–C bonds. Applying both expedient methods in a tandem process would give us an ideal approach to synthesizing complex molecular architectures. The challenge lies in ensuring that the reactions do not interfere with each other; the simultaneous control of both C–H and C–C bond activations is the subject of this Review. The reactions that meet this challenge and enable a selective merger of C–H and C–C bond activations in a one-pot process are discussed. Their realization could afford sophisticated molecular fragments that are otherwise difficult to access. The disconnection of C–H and C–C bonds is an efficient approach to functionalize organic molecules. Particularly useful are transformations in which these two cleavage reactions operate in tandem. This Review describes this tandem strategy and provides examples of its application in synthetic chemistry.