Gold-mediated C-H bond functionalisation

The transition metal-catalysed direct functionalisation of C-H bonds is an increasingly viable alternative to the multi-step strategies traditionally adopted. The use of powerful and environmentally benign gold(I) and gold(III) catalysts in such transformations has highlighted their remarkable reactivity and led to a significant increase in their utilisation. This tutorial review provides an overview of gold-catalysed C-H functionalisation, looking at transformations which rely on the ability of gold to perform C-H activation, as well as those exploiting its potent pi-acidity.