The Catalytic Ability of Various Transition Metals in the Direct Functionalization of Aromatic CH Bonds

Abstract

From noble to normal: Many transition-metal complexes have shown a remarkable ability to catalyze the cross-coupling of aryl halides with arenes (see scheme). The formation of biaryls has thus been achieved using inexpensive, readily available, and sometimes nontoxic transition-metal complexes. Not only “noble” transition metals, but also many of the “normal” transition metals are able to promote the direct transformation of CH bonds.