Nickel‐Catalyzed Benzylic CH Functionalization

Nickel-catalyzed CH functionalization has emerged as a powerful tool for the sustainable synthesis of strategic organic molecules. While many efforts have focused on the functionalization of C(sp2)H bond on arenes and heteroarenes in past decades, much less research has been devoted to the activation and functionalization of challenging benzylic C(sp3)H bonds. This article highlights the development in the area of benzylic C(sp3)H functionalization, with a particular emphasis on reaction development, scope, and reaction mechanism.