Preface
The metal-catalysed C–H bond dual activation and functionalisation have brought
in the last two decades a revolution for the direct synthesis of complex molecules
and molecular materials. Now the functionalisation of sp
2 C–H bond for crosscoupled C–C or C-heteroatom bond formation presents advantages to replace,
with better atom economy, the classical catalytic cross-coupling reactions involving
a stoichiometric amount of an organometallic. In parallel the sp
3 C–H bond activation, besides a faster access to natural products, is offering the possibility to
functionalise alkanes in connection with renewable energy.
Whereas functional groups have shown efficiency to direct activation of
neighbouring C–H bonds, as molecules containing multiple C–H bonds, the successive activations of several of these C–H bonds remain a challenge. Initially
expensive metal catalysts have shown their efficiency to activate C–H bonds, but
now many examples of cheap and environment-tolerant first-row metal catalysts are
promoting useful activations. Examples of C–H bond functionalisation can now be
performed in green solvents and even in water.
This volume gathers innovative contributions for a wide range of catalytic C–H
bond functionalisations. They involve a variety of metal catalysts from Pd, Rh,
Ir and Ru complexes to Fe, Ni, Cu and Ag derivatives, including surface organometallics, and they point out the importance of ancillary or transient ligands forcing
the metal site to activate C–H bonds by several complementary processes. In
addition this volume presents many new applications for cross C–C and
C-heteroatom bond couplings and new synthetic methods, supported by mechanistic and computational studies, and examples of functionalisation of cyclopropanes
or fullerenes and addresses problems of regioselectivity. The sp
3 C–H bond activation reveals crucial aspects for the synthesis of natural products and for the
dehydrogenation and functionalisation of alkanes.
The wide range of innovations presented here, on the concepts of C–H bond
activations and their multiple profits, should be a source of inspiration for
researchers and industry engineers to discover more efficient catalysts or to transfer
the processes to industrial applications. They should attract teachers and students
motivated by innovations, catalysis and sustainable development. They are
v
The metal-catalysed C–H bond dual activation and functionalisation have brought
in the last two decades a revolution for the direct synthesis of complex molecules
and molecular materials. Now the functionalisation of sp
2 C–H bond for crosscoupled C–C or C-heteroatom bond formation presents advantages to replace,
with better atom economy, the classical catalytic cross-coupling reactions involving
a stoichiometric amount of an organometallic. In parallel the sp
3 C–H bond activation, besides a faster access to natural products, is offering the possibility to
functionalise alkanes in connection with renewable energy.
Whereas functional groups have shown efficiency to direct activation of
neighbouring C–H bonds, as molecules containing multiple C–H bonds, the successive activations of several of these C–H bonds remain a challenge. Initially
expensive metal catalysts have shown their efficiency to activate C–H bonds, but
now many examples of cheap and environment-tolerant first-row metal catalysts are
promoting useful activations. Examples of C–H bond functionalisation can now be
performed in green solvents and even in water.
This volume gathers innovative contributions for a wide range of catalytic C–H
bond functionalisations. They involve a variety of metal catalysts from Pd, Rh,
Ir and Ru complexes to Fe, Ni, Cu and Ag derivatives, including surface organometallics, and they point out the importance of ancillary or transient ligands forcing
the metal site to activate C–H bonds by several complementary processes. In
addition this volume presents many new applications for cross C–C and
C-heteroatom bond couplings and new synthetic methods, supported by mechanistic and computational studies, and examples of functionalisation of cyclopropanes
or fullerenes and addresses problems of regioselectivity. The sp
3 C–H bond activation reveals crucial aspects for the synthesis of natural products and for the
dehydrogenation and functionalisation of alkanes.
The wide range of innovations presented here, on the concepts of C–H bond
activations and their multiple profits, should be a source of inspiration for
researchers and industry engineers to discover more efficient catalysts or to transfer
the processes to industrial applications. They should attract teachers and students
motivated by innovations, catalysis and sustainable development. They are
v