C—H Activation of Unbiased C(sp3)—H Bonds

The selective functionalization of non-activated C(sp3)—H bonds is a major challenge in chemistry. Here, we have developed an [Au]-catalyzed C(sp3)-H activation of common 1 bromoalkynes into a library of diverse 3D-scaffolds. The reaction was shown to proceed via an unknown before mechanism: a concerted [1,5]-H shift / C—C bond formation involving a gold-stabilized vinylcation-like transition state. The most salient feature of this methodology is the ability to functionalize in a predictable way non-activated C(sp3)—H bonds without any sort of electronic, geometric, or conformational bias.