O–H hydrogen bonding promotes H-atom transfer from α C–H bonds for C-alkylation of alcohols

A trio helps activate C-H bonds in alcohols Enzymes can accelerate chemical reactions by activating specific portions of a molecule through well-placed H bonds. Jeffrey et al. showcase the power of H-bonding in a synthetic context. Here, reactivity at the C centers of alcohols is selectively induced by using an H-bonding catalyst to bind the hydroxyl group of the alcohol. The adjacent C-H bonds now become susceptible to a reaction accelerated by another pair of catalysts. In combination, the trio of catalysts promotes C-C bond formation at the alcohol C within an array of competing sites. Science , this issue p. 1532