Alkane recognition enhanced by solvophobic interactions enables site-selective aliphatic C–H oxidation

Abstract

Site-selective C–H oxidation in substrates devoid of functional groups is a standing chemical problem. In the March issue of Chem, Tiefenbacher and co-workers combine solvophobic interactions and substrate recognition via dispersion interactions between a supramolecular catalyst and methyl groups of the substrate to implement unprecedented selectivity control in aliphatic C–H oxidation.