Asymmetric catalytic intramolecular carbon-hydrogen insertion reactions are pivotal reactions in the world of organic chemistry and there is a considerable amount of literature on this topic.
Michael Doyle and his colleagues at University of Maryland, have now written a very original and different review on the catalytic C-H insertion process in comparison with other approaches for the synthesis of selected synthetic targets, lactones and lactams, which have been of biological or medicinal interest. They discuss these well-defined targeted molecules for which there have been multiple examples of their synthesis. They conclude by saying that the catalytic route through chiral dirhodium(II) carboxamidates is the most appropriate method for the stereoselective carbon–hydrogen insertion reactions that produce biologically relevant lactones and lactams.
If you want to find out more about the different synthetic approaches and the advantges of using one over the other, download this very interesting review.
Intramolecular catalytic asymmetric carbon–hydrogen insertion reactions. Synthetic advantages in total synthesis in comparison with alternative approaches
Michael P. Doyle, Maxim Ratnikov and Yu Liu
Org. Biomol. Chem., 2011, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C0OB00698J, Perspective
