Experimental and Computational Studies on Ruthenium- and Manganese-Catalyzed C-H and C-C Activation

During the last years, transition metal-catalyzed C–H and C–C activation has emerged as a powerful tool for the selective construction of C–C and C–Het bonds. In this context, a detailed mechanistic understanding of these transformations is of paramount importance for the development of novel catalytic systems as well as the improvement of established synthetic procedures. Within this thesis, ruthenium catalysis was employed for meta-C–H functionalizations, decarboxylative alkylations, and oxidative C–H/C–H activations, among others. Furthermore, the mechanisms of these reactions were investigated by means of experimental as well as computational studies. Additionally, protocols for selective C–H and C–C activations using inexpensive manganese as the catalyst were developed