The transition metal catalyzed activation of C(sp³)—H bonds to form carbon-nitrogen bonds has been a challenging and hot research area. The transition metal-catalyzed C(sp³)—H amination strategy provides a more direct and efficient way to form C—N bonds. With the vigorous development in the field of C—H bond activation, a variety of directing groups and transition metal catalyst systems have been developed, which provide effective tools for C(sp³)—H amination through the inner sphere mechanism. In recent years, important progress has been made in directing group-assisted C(sp³)—H bond amination reactions, and many catalyst systems based on different transition metals with cheap and efficient amination reagents have been developed. The research progress of transition metal-catalyzed C(sp³)—H nitrene insertion reaction assisted by directing groups in the past decade is reviewed.

Key words: directing group, nitrene insertion, transition metal, C(sp³)—H, C—N bond formation