Recent Advances of Oxidative Radical Cross-Coupling Reactions: Direct α-C(sp3)-H Bond Functionalization of Ethers and Alcohols

Oxygen-containing heterocycles are an important class of compounds with diverse biological activities. In recent years, direct a-C-H functionalization of inexpensive and abundant readily available ethers and alcohols by oxidative radical cross-coupling with different nucleophilic partners (C-H, N-H, O-H and S-S), leading to the construction of CC and C-X (X=C, N, O, S) bonds, has emerged as one of the vital strategies among oxidative cross-coupling reactions. Owing to the features of being atomeconomic, environmentally benign, having a simple operation and biologically properties, a series of ether alpha-C(sp(3))-H bond activation reactions have been developed by metal or metal-free systems via the radical oxidative coupling pathway, since the radical oxidative coupling reactions have wide range of applications. This review aims to highlight the recent advances in direct alpha-C(sp(3))-H bond functionalization of ethers and alcohols via radical oxidative process.