The Davies group have put together this book chapter that highlights recent developments in the field of C–C bond formation through functionalization of C–H bonds. It provides a historical context to these highlights, summarizing intra-molecular carbenoid C–H insertion and develops the story to the extension to the inter-molecular version.
This perspective provides a narrative which concludes with the application and synthetic utility of the carbenoid C–H insertion reaction in the total synthesis of a number of natural products and pharmaceuticals.