Selectivity in the Aliphatic C–H Bonds Oxidation (Hydroxylation) Catalyzed by Heme- and Non-Heme Metal Complexes—Recent Advances

The oxyfunctionalization of non-activated C-H bonds has attracted considerable attention for several years. Following the example of enzymatic systems, a multitude of catalytic systems capable of carrying out such a transformation efficiently and selectively have been described. The great discoveries in this area were described at the beginning of the 21st century, but due to the growing demand for precise syntheses (e.g., for the needs of the pharmaceutical industry), new solutions or new applications for already known catalytic systems are constantly being sought. This review article summarizes the development of metal complex-catalyzed selective functionalization of saturated C-H bonds since 2010. However, brief references to previous studies are also made for clarity. There is a huge amount of literature reports in this area, so we intend to highlight only the most important findings in the selective hydroxylation of saturated C–H bonds. Their practical applications in synthesis will also be pointed out.