Direct activation of relatively unstrained carbon-carbon bonds in homogeneous systems.

New modes of chemical reactivity are of high value to synthetic organic chemistry. In this vein, carbon-carbon (C-C) activation is an emerging field that offers new possibilities for synthesizing valuable complex molecules. This review discusses the pioneering stoichiometric discoveries in this field up to the most recent synthetic applications that apply catalytic transformations. Specifically, the review focuses on C-C activation in relatively unstrained systems, including stoichiometric reactions, chelation-directed and chelation-free catalytic reactions. While the field of C-C activation of relatively unstrained systems is underdeveloped, we expect that this review will provide insight into new developments and pave the path for robust, practical applications.