Cobalt-electrocatalytic HAT for functionalization of unsaturated C-C bonds.

The study and application of transition metal hydrides (TMHs) has been an active area of chemical research since the early 1960s, for energy storage, through the reduction of protons to generate hydrogen, and for organic synthesis, for the functionalization of unsaturated C-C, C-O and C-N bonds. In the former instance, electrochemical means for driving such reactivity has been common place since the 1950s but the use of stoichiometric exogenous organic- and metal-based reductants to harness the power of TMHs in synthetic chemistry remains the norm. In particular, cobalt-based TMHs have found widespread use for the derivatization of olefins and alkynes in complex molecule construction, often by a net hydrogen atom transfer (HAT).

Kolbe Anodic Decarboxylation as a Green Way To Access 2-Pyrrolidinones.

Nootropic compounds are a group of pharmacologically active pyrrolidones. These molecules, which enhance cognition properties and possess a large prescription field, are particularly interesting synthetic targets for the pharmaceutical industry. In this Article, we disclose an effective and environmentally friendly pyrrolidinone synthesis using electrosynthesis.