Cp* iridium complexes give catalytic alkane hydroxylation with retention of stereochemistry.

A series of Cp*Ir complexes can catalyze C-H oxidation, with ceric ammonium nitrate as the terminal oxidant and water as the source of oxygen. Remarkably the hydroxylation of cis-decalin and 1,4-dimethylcyclohexane proceeds with retention of stereochemistry. With H(2)O(18), cis-decalin oxidation gave (18)O incorporation into the product cis-decalol.