It's electrifying! Electrochemical cross-coupling of aryl compounds provides a one-step approach to unsymmetrical biaryl compounds. A boron-doped diamond electrode is used as the anode to oxidise the phenolic hydroxy group to a phenoxy radical, with 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropylalcohol (HFIP) and tetraalkylammonium methylsulfate used as the solvent and electrolyte. Since no reagents are required, no waste is formed from this source.
Keywords: electroorganic synthesis; metal-free coupling; phenoxy radicals; simple electrolysis; unsymmetrical biaryls.
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