Exploiting Strained Rings in Chelation Guided C-H Functionalization: Integration of C-H Activation with Ring Cleavage

Abstract

Strained ring systems are regarded as privileged coupling partners in directed C-H bond functionalization and have emerged as a potential research area in organic synthesis. The inherent ring strain in these systems acts as a driving force, allowing the facile construction of diversified structural scaffolds via integrating C-H activation and ring-scission. The mechanistic underpinnings allows the implementation of a plethora of C-H bonds across plentiful organic substrates, including the less reactive alkyl ones. Considering the synthetic space, this area will foster developments of novel synthetic methods in chelation guided C-H functionalization. This review will focus on recent developments in transition-metal catalyzed chelation assisted concomitant C-H activation and ring scission of strained rings to attain molecular complexity.

Keywords: C−H activation; chelation assistance; ring-opening; strained rings; transition metal.