Electrochemically Induced Intermolecular Cross-Dehydrogenative C-O Coupling of β-Diketones and β-Ketoesters with Carboxylic Acids

J Org Chem. 2019 Feb 1;84(3):1448-1460. doi: 10.1021/acs.joc.8b02791. Epub 2019 Jan 23.

Abstract

The electrochemically induced cross-dehydrogenative C-O coupling of β-diketones and β-ketoesters (C-H reagents) with carboxylic acids (O-H reagents) was developed. An important feature of this reaction lies in the selective formation of intermolecular C-O coupling products in high yields, up to 92%, using DMSO as a solvent with a broad substrate scope in an undivided cell equipped with carbon and platinum electrodes at high current density. Electric current acts as a stoichiometric oxidant.