Superacid‐Catalyzed Oxygenation of Alkanes. [New synthetic methods (26)]

Owing to the ready availability of the starting materials, the functionalization of saturated hydrocarbons for preparing chemical intermediates and products represents an attractive goal. The possibility of converting alkane in a controlled way into alcohols, ketones etc., i.e. to oxyfunctionalize them, is particularly challenging. After a short account of previous methods used for the oxidation of alkanes, particular emphasis will be given to recently developed reactions of alkanes with oxygenating agents in superacidic media.