Overcoming the “Oxidant Problem”: Strategies to Use O 2 as the Oxidant in Organometallic C–H Oxidation Reactions Catalyzed by Pd (and Cu)

Oxidation reactions are key transformations in organic chemistry because they can increase chemical complexity and incorporate heteroatom substituents into carbon-based molecules. This principle is manifested in the conversion of petrochemical feedstocks into commodity chemicals and in the synthesis of fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and other complex organic molecules. The utility and function of these molecules correlate directly with the presence and specific placement of oxygen and nitrogen heteroatoms and other functional groups within the molecules. Methods for selective oxidation of C-H bonds have expanded significantly over the past decade, and their role in the synthesis of organic chemicals will…