Understanding Catalytic Enantioselective C-H Bond Oxidation at Nonactivated Methylenes Through Predictive Statistical Modeling Analysis

Enantioselective C(sp3)‒H bond oxidation is a powerful strategy for installing functionality in C(sp3)‒H rich molecules. Site- and enantioselective oxidation of strong C‒H bonds in monosubstituted cyclohexanes with hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by aminopyridine manganese catalysts in combination with alkanoic acids has been recently described. Mechanistic uncertainties and nonobvious enantioselectivity trends challenge development of the full potential of this reaction as a powerful synthetic tool. Herein, we apply predictive statistical analysis to identify mechanistically informative correlations that provide valuable reaction understanding and will guide the development and optimization of new enantioselective C‒H oxidation reactions.