Aromatic C-H Bond Functionalization Induced by Electrochemically in Situ Generated Tris(p-bromophenyl)aminium Radical Cation: Cationic Chain Reactions of Electron-Rich Aromatics with Enamides.

An effective Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction of electron-rich aromatics with N-vinylamides, induced by electrochemically in situ-generated TBPA radical cation, has been developed; the resulting adducts are produced in good to excellent yields. In the "ex-cell" type electrolysis, TBPA is transformed to its oxidized form in situ and subsequently employed as an electron transfer reagent to initiate a cationic chain reaction. An easily recoverable and reusable polymeric ionic liquid-carbon black (PIL-CB) composite was also utilized as a supporting electrolyte for the electrochemical generation of TBPA cation radical, without sacrificing efficiency or stability after four electrolyses.

Electrocatalytic aziridination of alkenes mediated by n-Bu4NI: a radical pathway.

Efficient electrocatalytic aziridination of alkenes has been achieved for the first time. A structurally broad range of aziridines was easily accessed using an undivided cell operated at constant current and mediated by a catalytic quantity of n-Bu4NI. The electrocatalytic reaction also proceeded in the absence of additional conducting salt.

Triarylimidazole redox catalysts: electrochemical analysis and empirical correlations.

A series of triarylimidazoles was synthesized and characterized electrochemically. The synthetic route is general, providing a pathway to 30 redox mediators that exhibit a > 700 mV range of accessible potentials. Most of the triarylimidazoles display three oxidation peaks where the first redox couple is quasi-reversible.

Novel triarylimidazole redox catalysts: synthesis, electrochemical properties, and applicability to electrooxidative C-H activation.

A new class of metal-free, easy to synthesize redox catalysts based on a triarylimidazole framework is described. With those synthesized thus far, one can access a potential range of ca. 410 mV.