Four types of mechanisms have been widely accepted for the C-H activation reaction involving transition metals: oxidative addition with electron-rich, low-valent late transition metals, electrophilic activation with electron-deficient late transition metals, 1,2-CH addition across a metal-element multiple bond, and s-bond metathesis with polarized metal-carbon bonds. So far, s-bond metathesis is the only mechanism identified for group 3 metals (scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, and the lanthanides). We will discuss a new type of C-H activation mediated by group 3 metals that cannot be classified as s-bond metathesis. This type of C-H activation is related to the oxidative addition mechanism with late transition metals since the products of this reaction are metal hydride and metal alkyl complexes. However, because this C-H activation requires reducing agents and the oxidation state of the metal center stays the same, we believe the term �reductive cleavage� is more appropriate to describe it.

New C-H activation mechanism with group 3 metals

245th National Meeting (2013)

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