Selective, catalytic carbon-carbon bond activation and functionalization promoted by late transition metal catalysts

The selective catalytic activation and functionalization of carbon-carbon bonds in a series of substituted cyclopropane substrates has been developed using commercially available transition metal catalysts. Catalytic hydrogenation and olefination procedures, tolerant of a range of functional groups, have been discovered. Introduction of a chelate-assisting substituent such as [PPh₂] is effective in altering the kinetic selectivity and lowering the activation barrier for the catalytic processes.