Titanium: A Unique Metal for Radical Dehydroxylative Functionalization of Alcohols

Abstract The dehydroxylative functionalization of alcohols is synthetic appealing, but it remains a long-term challenge in the synthetic community. Low-valent titanium has shown the power to produce carbon radicals from alcohols via homolytic cleavage of the C–OH bonds and thus offers the potential to overcome this problem. In this perspective manuscript, we summarized the recent advance on radical dehydroxylative transformation of alcohols either promoted or catalyzed by titanium. The limitation and outlook of the studies in this field are also provided. 1 Introduction 2 Recent Developments in Dehydroxylative Functionalization of Alcohols 2.1 Stoichiometric Titanium Complexes Mediated Homolysis of Alcohols 2.2 Radical Dehydroxylative Functionalization of Alcohols by Ti Catalysis 3 Summary and Outlook