Selective formation of γ-lactams via C–H amidation enabled by tailored iridium catalysts

Abstract

Guiding nitrenes away from a migration Nitrogen conventionally shares its electrons in three bonds with one or more partners. A singly bonded nitrogen, or nitrene, is exceptionally reactive and can insert itself into normally inert C–H bonds. If the nitrene forms next to a carbonyl center, though, it tends to react with the C–C bond on the other side instead. Hong et al. used theory to guide the design of an iridium catalyst that inhibits this rearrangement, steering the nitrene toward C–H insertion to form a variety of useful lactam rings. Science , this issue p. 1016