Metal-Catalyzed Oxidation of C-H Compounds with Peroxides in Unconventional Solvents

This chapter describes some examples of oxidation of C-H compounds (saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons and alcohols) with peroxides catalyzed by various metal compounds (mainly coordination complexes). The nature of the solvent plays a very important role in these reactions: the yield of products and selectivity can be dramatically changed when one solvent is replaced by another one. Adding certain cocatalysts to the reaction solution we can also significantly modify the yield and selectivity. Especially, interesting and attractive are oxidations in "green" solvents, first of all in water. The focus is made on the author's own works.