The subject invention provides synthetic compounds, and compound complexes having catalytic activities towards oxidation or oxygenation, and/or dehydrogenation of various substrates comprising C—H bonds. The catalysts of the subject invention comprise a dinuclear Cu(I)/Cu(II) center that can convert between a resting state and a reactive species. The subject invention also provides methods of using such catalysts for the oxidation of substrates comprising C—H bonds, e.g., hydrocarbons, to synthesize chemicals for use as pharmaceuticals and industrial feedstock.

The subject invention provides synthetic compounds, and compound complexes having catalytic activities towards oxidation or oxygenation, and/or dehydrogenation of various substrates comprising C—H bonds. The catalysts of the subject invention comprise a dinuclear Cu(I)/Cu(II) center that can convert between a resting state and a reactive species. The subject invention also provides methods of using such catalysts for the oxidation of substrates comprising C—H bonds, e.g., hydrocarbons, to synthesize chemicals for use as pharmaceuticals and industrial feedstock.

Surface hydroxyl groups on porous and nonporous metal oxides, such as silica gel and alumina, were metalated with catalyst precursors, such as complexes of earth abundant metals (e.g., Fe, Co, Cr, Ni, Cu, Mn and Mg). The metalated metal oxide catalysts provide a versatile family of recyclable and reusable single-site solid catalysts for catalyzing a variety of organic transformations. The catalysts can also be integrated into a flow reactor or a supercritical fluid reactor.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for Rh(I) catalysts, methods of making alkenyl substituted arenes (e.g., allyl arene, vinyl arene, and the like), methods of making alkyl substituted arenes, and the like.

Processes for producing an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, such as acrylic acid, or a salt thereof, using solid promoters are disclosed. The solid promoters can be certain solid oxides, mixed oxides, and clays, illustrative examples of which can include alumina, zirconia, magnesia, magnesium aluminate, sepiolite, and similar materials.

Processes for producing an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid, such as acrylic acid, or a salt thereof, using treated solid oxides are disclosed. The treated solid oxides can be calcined solid oxides, metal-treated solid oxides, or metal-treated chemically-modified solid oxides, illustrative examples of which can include sodium-treated alumina, calcium-treated alumina, zinc-treated alumina, sodium-treated sulfated alumina, sodium-treated fluorided silica-coated alumina, and similar materials.

The invention provides novel manganese catalysts such as [Mn(.sup.tBuPc)], which are general for the amination of all types of C(sp.sup.3)-H bonds (aliphatic, allylic, propargylic, benzylic, ethereal), including strong 1.sup.o aliphatic C—H bonds, while achieving excellent chemoselectivity, stereospecificity, and high functional group tolerance. We demonstrate the late-stage diversification of bioactive complex molecules that encompass the range of C(sp.sup.3)-H bond types, such as selective 1.sup.o C—H aminations of betulinic acid and pleuromutilin derivatives. The catalysts' unprecedented balance of reactivity and selectivity is in part attributed to its mechanism of C—H amination that lies between stepwise and concerted.

Methods of isotopic labeling are described herein. For example, a method of isotopically labeling an organic compound, in some embodiments, comprises providing a reaction mixture including the organic compound, an iron complex or a cobalt complex and a source of deuterium or tritium. The organic compound is labeled with deuterium or tritium in the presence of the iron complex or cobalt complex or derivative of the iron complex or cobalt complex.

The subject invention provides synthetic compounds, and compound complexes having catalytic activities towards oxidation or oxygenation, and/or dehydrogenation of various substrates comprising C—H bonds. The catalysts of the subject invention comprise a dinuclear Cu(I)/Cu(II) center that can convert between a resting state and a reactive species. The subject invention also provides methods of using such catalysts for the oxidation of substrates comprising C—H bonds, e.g., hydrocarbons, to synthesize chemicals for use as pharmaceuticals and industrial feedstock.

Nature is capable of storing solar energy in chemical bonds via photosynthesis through a series of C—C, C—O and C—N bond-forming reactions starting from CO.sub.2 and light. Direct capture of solar energy for organic synthesis is a promising approach. Lead (Pb)-halide perovskite solar cells reach 24.2% power conversion efficiency, rendering perovskite a unique type material for solar energy capture. We show that photophysical properties of perovskites is useful in photoredox organic synthesis. Because the key aspects of these two applications are both relying on charge separation and transfer. Here we demonstrated that perovskites nanocrystals are exceptional candidates as photocatalysts for fundamental organic reactions, i.e. C—C, C—N and C—O bond-formations. Stability of CsPbBr.sub.3 in organic solvents and ease-of-tuning their bandedges garner perovskite a wider scope of organic substrate activations.