Abstract
Phenols are important readily available synthetic building blocks and starting materials for organic synthetic transformations, which are widely found in agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and functional materials. The C-H functionalization of free phenols has proven to be an extremely useful tool in organic synthesis, which provides efficient increases in phenol molecular complexity. Therefore, approaches to functionalizing existing C-H bonds of free phenols have continuously attracted the attention of organic chemists. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge and recent advances in ortho-, meta-, and para-selective C-H functionalization of free phenols in the last five years.