Elusive formyloxyl radical hints at unique, and more sustainable, chemical transformations

Following the development of a new and more practical method to make the formyloxyl radical in situ, scientists are now exploring the intriguing reactivity of this previously elusive species. The improved access to this radical may lead to tidier and more sustainable routes to industrially valuable products by virtue of formyloxyl being surprisingly weaker than other electrophilic radicals, affording opportunities for selective activation of C–H bonds.