12/2015

Atom-transfer C–H oxidations have the potential to be paradigm changing transformations, and while there has been much in this field with a number of strategies emerging, a systematic and comparative study has not transpired that defines the current scope and limitations of the science.

This collaborative study between the Du Bois group and the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research describes a benchmark in this field, highlighting the current limitations and challenges that exist in this field. The methods selected for comparison, designed to be representative of the state-of-the-art, were derived from the recent literature and present a survey of different metals and stoichiometric oxidants. A novel Mn-mediated method for aliphatic C–H oxidation is also disclosed.

These studies outline the current state of this field and help to highlight several key short-comings in atom-transfer C–H oxidation technology. These finding will help guide the CCHF as it moves forward to help address these.