Electrochemical Decarboxylation Coupling Reactions

Carboxylic acids are attractive synthetic feedstocks with stable, non-toxic, and inexpensive properties that can be easily obtained from natural sources or through synthesis. Carboxylic acids have long been considered environmentally friendly coupling agents in various organic transformations. In recent years, electrochemically mediated decarboxylation reactions of decarboxylic acids and their derivatives (NHPI) have emerged as effective new methods for constructing carbon-carbon or carbon-heterocarbon chemical bonds. Compared with transition metal and photochemistry-mediated catalytic reactions, which do not require the addition of oxidants and strong bases, electrochemically-mediated decarboxylative transformations are considered a sustainable strategy. In addition, various functional groups tolerate the electrochemical decarboxylation conversion strategy well. Here, we summarize the recent electrochemical decarboxylation reactions to better elucidate the advantages of electrochemical decarboxylation reactions.

Easy Access to Fused Tricyclic Quinoline Derivatives through Metal-Free Electrocatalytic [4 + 2] Annulation

An efficient electrocatalytic cycloaddition approach for the construction of a lactone- or lactam-fused quinoline framework is documented. Diverse arrays of functionalities are well-compatible under this metal-free, mild, and scalable electro-redox protocol. Mechanistic studies indicate an iodide-mediated electro-oxidation of secondary amines to their corresponding imines and consequent [4 + 2] cycloaddition, fabricating C-C bonds followed by rapid aromatization leading to the six-membered core structure.

The Strategies Towards Electrochemical Generation of Aryl Radicals

The advancement in electrochemical techniques has unlocked a new path for achieving unprecedented oxidations and reductions of aryl radical precursors in a controlled and selective manner. This approach facilitates the construction of aromatic carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds. In light of the green merits and the growing importance of this technique in aryl radical chemistry, this review aims to provide an overview of the recent advance in the electrochemical generation of aryl radicals organized by the aryl radical precursor type, with a focus on the substrate scope, limitation, and underlying mechanism, thereby inspiring future work on electrochemical aryl radical generation.

Electro-photochemical Functionalization of C(sp3)-H bonds: Synthesis toward Sustainability

Over the past several decades, there has been a surge of interest in harnessing the functionalization of C(sp3)-H bonds due to their promising applications across various domains. Yet, traditional methodologies have heavily leaned on stoichiometric quantities of costly and often environmentally harmful metal oxidants, posing sustainability challenges for C-H activation chemistry at large. In stark contrast, the emergence of electro-photocatalytic-driven C(sp3)-H bond activation presents a transformative alternative. This approach offers a viable route for forging carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds. It stands out by directly engaging inert C(sp3)-H bonds, prevalent in organic compounds, without the necessity for prefunctionalization or harsh reaction conditions. Such methodology simplifies the synthesis of intricate organic compounds and facilitates the creation of novel chemical architectures with remarkable efficiency and precision. This review aims to shed light on the notable strides achieved in recent years in the realm of C(sp3)-H bond functionalization through organic electro-photochemistry.

Electrochemically driven regioselective construction of 4-sulfenyl-isochromenones from o-alkynylbenzoates and diaryl disulfides

Herein, we report a convenient and environmentally friendly electrochemical technique that enables the regioselective construction of 4-sulfenyl-1H-isochromen-1-ones using readily available precursors such as o-alkynyl benzoates and diaryl disulfides. This electrochemical process has been accomplished through constant current electrolysis in an undivided cell under external acid, catalyst, oxidant, or metal-free conditions. Owing to this protocol's mild reaction conditions, the products are obtained in good to very good yields, demonstrating a broad substrate scope and functional group tolerance.

Electrosynthesis of 1,2,3-Benzotriazines through an Iodide-Catalyzed Skeletal Editing of 3-Aminoindazoles

This report describes an environmentally benign synthesis of 1,2,3-benzotriazines through an iodide-catalyzed electro-oxidative N-centered [1,2]-rearrangement of 3-aminoindazoles. The developed method demonstrates the activation of heteroatoms via electrochemically generated reactive iodide species without using any metal catalysts and peroxides. The protocol features practical and mild reaction conditions and displays a wide substrate scope. Various mechanistic experiments and cyclic voltammetric studies have been instrumental in elucidating the reaction mechanism, operating via a skeletal rearrangement of 3-aminoindazoles.

Electroreductive deuteroarylation of alkenes enabled by an organo-mediator

Electroreduction mediated by organo-mediators has emerged as a concise and effective strategy, holding significant potential in the site-specific introduction of deuterium. In this study, we present an environmentally friendly electroreduction approach for anti-Markovnikov selective deuteroarylation of alkenes and aryl iodides with D2O as the deuterium source. The key to the protocol lies in the employment of a catalytic amount of 2,2'-bipyiridine as an efficient organo-mediator, which facilitates the generation of aryl radicals by assisting in the cleavage of the C-X (X = I or Br) bonds in aryl halides. Because its reduction potential matches that of aryl iodides, the organo-mediator can control the chemoselectivity of the reaction and avoid the side reactions of competitive substrate deuteration. These phenomena are theoretically supported by CV experiments and DFT calculations. Our protocol provides a series of mono-deuterated alkylarenes with excellent deuterium incorporation through two single-electron reductions (SER), without requiring metal catalysts, external reductants, and sacrificial anodes.

Visible-light-induced Ritter-type amidation of α-hydroxy ketones in the selective synthesis of α,α-diamido and monoamido ketones

Visible light-induced, transition metal-free oxidative dehydroxylation and C-H amidation of α-hydroxy ketones involving Ritter-type amidation has been developed, leading to the selective synthesis of α,α-diamido- and α-monoamido ketones with tunable selectivity as well as broad substrate tolerance.

Efficient and Sustainable Electrosynthesis of N-Sulfonyl Iminophosphoranes by the Dehydrogenative P-N Coupling Reaction

Iminophosphoranes are commonly used reagents in organic synthesis and are, therefore, of great interest. An efficient and sustainable iodide-mediated electrochemical synthesis of N-sulfonyl iminophosphoranes from readily available phosphines and sulfonamides is reported. This method features low amounts of supporting electrolytes, inexpensive electrode materials, a simple galvanostatic setup, and high conversion rates. The broad applicability could be demonstrated by synthesizing 20 examples in yields up to 90%, having diverse functional groups including chiral moieties and biologically relevant species. Furthermore, electrolysis was performed on a 20 g scale and could be run in repetitive mode by recycling the electrolyte, which illustrates the suitability for large-scale production. A reaction mechanism involving electrochemical mediation by the iodide-based supporting electrolyte is proposed, completely agreeing with all of the results.

Interfacing High-Throughput Electrosynthesis and Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Azines

Combinatorial electrochemistry has great promise for accelerated reaction screening, organic synthesis, and catalysis. Recently, we described a new high-throughput electrochemistry platform, colloquially named "Legion". Legion fits the footprint of a 96-well microtiter plate with simultaneous individual control over all 96 electrochemical cells. Here, we demonstrate the versatility of Legion when coupled with high-throughput mass spectrometry (MS) for electrosynthetic product screening and quantitation. Electrosynthesis of benzophenone azine was selected as a model reaction and was arrayed and optimized using a combination of Legion and nanoelectrospray ionization MS. The combination of high-throughput synthesis with Legion and analysis via MS proves a compelling strategy for accelerating reaction discovery and optimization in electro-organic synthesis.

Sustainable Electrochemical Benzylic C-H Oxidation Using MeOH as an Oxygen Source

New methods and strategies for the direct oxidation of benzylic C-H bonds are highly desirable, owing to the importance of ketone motifs in significant organic transformations and the synthesis of valuable molecules, including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and fine chemicals. Herein, we describe an electrochemical benzylic C-H oxidation strategy for the synthesis of ketones using MeOH as an oxygen source. Inexpensive and safe KBr serves as both an electrolyte and a bromide radical precursor in the reaction. This transformation also offers several advantages such as mild conditions, broad functional group tolerance, and operational simplicity. Mechanistic investigations by control experiments, radical scavenging experiments, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), kinetic studies, cyclic voltammetry (CV), and in-situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy support a pathway involving the formation and transformation of benzyl methyl ether via hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) and single-electron transfer (SET). The practical application of our strategy is highlighted by the successful synthesis of five pharmaceuticals, namely lenperone, melperone, diphenhydramine, cinnarizine, and flunarizine.

Selected Electrosynthesis of 3-Aminopyrazoles from α,β-Alkynic Hydrazones and Secondary Amines

An available and simple electromediated cyclization method for 3-amino-substituted pyrazoles by using α,β-alkynic hydrazone and secondary amine is described. The strategy utilizes KI as an electrolyte in an undivided cell with a constant current, generating the desired products in moderate-to-good yield. The method features selective amination at the 3-position of the pyrazole skeleton. The results indicate that α,β-alkynic hydrazones functionalized with aromatic groups and secondary amines functionalized with electron-rich groups were better tolerated in this transformation.

Electrochemical Formation of α-Ketoamides from Ketoximes through Non-Beckmann Mechanism Pathway

α-Ketoamides are highly valued in synthetic chemistry due to their incorporation into diverse natural products and drug molecules. Here, we present an innovative electrochemical approach for constructing α-ketoamides, utilizing a mild and environmentally friendly strategy in a user-friendly undivided cell setup under constant current. The excellent functional-group tolerance, convenient accessibility of reaction instruments and starting materials, and easy scalability collectively enhance the importance of this protocol compared to previous challenging methods. Additionally, mechanistic insight into this reaction is obtained through the investigation of cyclic voltammograms of the reactants.

Electrochemical selective divergent C-H chalcogenocyanation of N-heterocyclic scaffolds

An electrochemical direct selective C-H chalcogenocyanation approach for indolizine derivatives under mild conditions has been described. Cyclic enone-fused, chromone-fused and 2-substituted indolizines possessing EDGs (electron donating groups) and EWGs (electron withdrawing groups) were successfully reacted with NH4SCN and KSeCN under electrochemical conditions to provide a wide array of mono and bis-chalcogenocyanate-indolizines in 75-94% yields. In addition, 1-substituted imidazo[1,5-a]quinolines were also successfully chalcogenocyanated under the optimized reaction conditions providing a platform for the synthesis of pharmaceutically privileged molecules. By switching the reaction conditions, the developed protocol offers selective synthesis of C-3 thiocyanate and 1,3 bis-thiocyanate indolizines in good to excellent yields under catalyst-free conditions. On the basis of control experiments and cyclic voltammetry data, a plausible reaction pathway is also presented.

Metal-Free Electrocatalytic Synthesis of Fused Azabicycles from N-Allyl Enamine Carboxylates

An electrocatalytic approach to access structurally significant azabicyclic scaffolds from N-allyl enamine carboxylates is illustrated. This metal-free method functions exclusively with a catalytic amount of iodide, strategically employed to electrochemically generate a reactive hypervalent iodine species, which facilitates the cascade bicyclization processes with enhanced precision and efficiency. Excellent functional group compatibility was observed, enabling the synthesis of a series of azabicycle derivatives. Detailed mechanistic and electrochemical studies enhance the comprehension of the reaction sequence.

Electrochemical Direct Synthesis of N-Sulfenylimines from Amines in the Presence of Thiophenols

N-Sulfenylimines are important molecules owing to their value in organic synthesis. Herein, we developed an electrochemical oxidative cross-coupling reaction between amines and thiols to synthesize N-sulfenylimines without a transition-metal catalyst and external oxidant. Various amines and thiols were compatible, generating the desired products in up to 86% yield.

NaI-Mediated Electrochemical Cyclization-Desulfurization for the Synthesis of N-Substituted 2-Aminobenzimidazoles

An electrochemical method for the synthesis of N-substituted 2-aminobenzimidazoles through a NaI-mediated desulfurization-cyclization process is reported. This electrosynthesis method utilizes cost-effective NaI as both a mediator and an electrolyte in a catalytic amount (0.2 equiv), replacing traditional oxidizing reagents. N-Substituted o-phenylenediamines and isothiocyanates undergo a thiourea formation/cyclization/desulfurization process to provide N-substituted 2-aminobenzimidazoles (55 examples, up to 98% yield) in a single reaction vessel. Importantly, this electrochemical methodology is applicable to gram-scale synthesis, maintaining reaction efficiency.

Electrochemical Synthesis of α-Thiocyanated/Methoxylated Ketones Using Enol Acetates

We have developed the synthesis of α-substituted ketone compounds with enol acetates in an electrochemical way. By using cheap NH4SCN and MeOH as the radical sources, a series of valuable α-thiocyanates/methoxy ketones were synthesized under mild electrolysis conditions in acceptable yields with diverse functional group compatibility. Additionally, the scale-up experiment and synthetic transformations reveal potential applications in organic synthesis.

Electrochemical NaI-mediated one-pot synthesis of guanidines from isothiocyanates via tandem addition-guanylation

In this study, we present an electrochemical approach for the synthesis of guanidines from isothiocyanates and amines in a single reaction vessel. This one-pot operation takes place in aqueous media, utilizing an undivided cell setup with NaI serving as both the electrolyte and mediator. The process involves the in situ generation of thiourea, followed by electrolytic guanylation with amines. Under ambient temperature conditions, we successfully demonstrated the formation of 30 different guanidine compounds, achieving yields ranging from fair to excellent. Furthermore, the synthesis method could be carried out on a gram scale with a good yield. This protocol stands out for its cost-effectiveness, step-economical design, high tolerance towards various functional groups, and environmentally friendly reaction conditions.

Organo-Mediator Enabled Electrochemical Deuteration of Styrenes

Despite widespread use of the deuterium isotope effect, selective deuterium labeling of chemical molecules remains a major challenge. Herein, a facile and general electrochemically driven, organic mediator enabled deuteration of styrenes with deuterium oxide (D2 O) as the economical deuterium source was reported. Importantly, this transformation could be suitable for various electron rich styrenes mediated by triphenylphosphine (TPP). The reaction proceeded under mild conditions without transition-metal catalysts, affording the desired products in good yields with excellent D-incorporation (D-inc, up to >99 %). Mechanistic investigations by means of isotope labeling experiments and cyclic voltammetry tests provided sufficient support for this transformation. Notably, this method proved to be a powerful tool for late-stage deuteration of biorelevant compounds.

Metal-free electrochemical dihydroxylation of unactivated alkenes

Herein, a metal-free electrochemical dihydroxylation of unactivated alkenes is described. The transformation proceeds smoothly under mild conditions with a broad range of unactivated alkenes, providing valuable and versatile dihydroxylated products in moderate to good yields without the addition of costly transition metals and stoichiometric amounts of chemical oxidants. Moreover, this method can be applied to a range of natural products and pharmaceutical derivatives, further demonstrating its synthetic utility. Mechanistic studies have revealed that iodohydrin and epoxide intermediate are formed during the reaction process.

Electrochemical direct C-H mono and bis-chalcogenation of indolizine frameworks under oxidant-free conditions

Herein, we disclosed a sustainable electrochemical approach for site-selective C-H mono and bis-chalcogenation (sulfenylation or selenylation) of indolizine frameworks. Diversely functionalized disulfides and diselenides possessing EDGs and EWGs were successfully reacted with a variety of indolizines to directly access sulfenylated/selenylated indolizines in 40-96% yields. A mechanistic radical pathway was also validated with control experiments and cyclic voltammogram data.

Cu-catalyzed enantioselective decarboxylative cyanation via the synergistic merger of photocatalysis and electrochemistry

The development of an efficient and straightforward method for decarboxylative coupling using common alkyl carboxylic acid is of great value. However, decarboxylative coupling with nucleophiles always needs stoichiometric chemical oxidants or substrate prefunctionalization. Herein, we report a protocol for Cu-catalyzed enantioselective decarboxylative cyanation via the merger of photocatalysis and electrochemistry. CeCl3 and Cu/BOX were used as co-catalysts to promote the decarboxylation and cyanation, and both catalysts were regenerated via anodic oxidation. This method establishes a proof of concept enantioselective transformation via photoelectrocatalysis. Studies by DFT calculations provided mechanistic insight on enantioselectivity control.

Electrochemically Induced Synthesis of Imidazoles from Vinyl Azides and Benzyl Amines

An electrochemically induced synthesis of imidazoles from vinyl azides and benzyl amines was developed. A wide range of imidazoles were obtained, with yields of 30 to 64%. The discovered transformation is a multistep process whose main steps include the generation of electrophilic iodine species, 2H-azirine formation from the vinyl azide, followed by its reactions with benzyl amine and with imine generated from benzyl amine. The cyclization and aromatization of the obtained intermediate lead to the target imidazole. The synthesis proceeds under constant current conditions in an undivided cell. Despite possible cathodic reduction of various unsaturated intermediates with C=N bonds, the efficient electrochemically induced synthesis of imidazoles was carried out.

Electroredox carbene organocatalysis with iodide as promoter

Oxidative carbene organocatalysis, inspired from Vitamin B1 catalyzed oxidative activation from pyruvate to acetyl coenzyme A, have been developed as a versatile synthetic method. To date, the α-, β-, γ-, δ- and carbonyl carbons of (unsaturated)aldehydes have been successfully activated via oxidative N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) organocatalysis. In comparison with chemical redox or photoredox methods, electroredox methods, although widely used in mechanistic study, were much less developed in NHC catalyzed organic synthesis. Herein, an iodide promoted electroredox NHC organocatalysis system was developed. This system provided general solutions for electrochemical single-electron-transfer (SET) oxidation of Breslow intermediate towards versatile transformations. Radical clock experiment and cyclic voltammetry results suggested an anodic radical coupling pathway.

Electro-organic synthesis: an environmentally benign alternative for heterocycle synthesis

Heterocyclic compounds are considered to be one of the most established structural classes due to their extensive application in agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals and organic materials. Over the past few years, the development of heterocyclic compounds has gone through a considerable renaissance from conventional traditional methodologies to non-conventional electro-organic synthesis. Replacing metal catalysts, strong oxidants and multi-step methodologies with metal and strong oxidant-free single-step protocols has revolutionized the field of sustainable organic synthesis. Electro-organic synthesis has evolved as a scalable and sustainable approach in different synthetic protocols in an environment-benign manner. The current review outlines the recent developments in C-C, C-N, C-S and C-O/Se bond formation for heterocycle synthesis using electrochemical methods. Different synthetic strategies and their detailed mechanistic description are presented to enlighten the future applications of electrochemistry in heterocycle synthesis.

Photochemical and Electrochemical Strategies for Hydrodefluorination of Fluorinated Organic Compounds

Hydrodefluorination (HDF) is a very important fundamental transformation for conversion of the C-F bond into the C-H bond in organic synthesis. In the past decade, much progress has been achieved with HDF through the utility of low-valent metals, transition-metal complexes and main-group Lewis acids. Recently, novel methods have been introduced for this purpose through photo- and electrochemical pathways, which are of great significance, due to their considerable environmental and economical advantages. This Review highlights the HDF of fluorinated organic compounds (FOCs) through photo- and electrochemical strategies, along with mechanistic insights.

Recent Updates on Electrogenerated Hypervalent Iodine Derivatives and Their Applications as Mediators in Organic Electrosynthesis

With the renaissance of chemical electrosynthesis in the last decade, the electrochemistry of hypervalent iodine compounds has picked up the pace and achieved significant improvements. By employing traceless electrons instead of stoichiometric oxidants as the alternative clean “reagents”, many hypervalent iodine compounds were efficiently electro-synthesized via anodic oxidation methods and utilized as powerful redox mediators triggering valuable oxidative coupling reactions in a more sustainable way. This minireview gives an up-to-date overview of the recent advances during the past 3 years, encompassing enhanced electrosynthesis technologies, novel synthetic applications, and ideas for improving reaction sustainability.

Selective Electrosynthesis of 2,5-Diformylfuran in a Continuous-Flow System

The gram-scale selective oxidation of biomass-based chemicals, in particular 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), into value-added 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF) has a high application potential but suffers from high cost, low selectivity, and harsh reaction conditions. Besides, the electrooxidation strategy requires the usage of expensive electrodes and struggles with low selectivity and efficiency, which restricts its further scaled-up application. In this regard, a continuous-flow system was developed through redox mediator I^- /I₂ for the efficient synthesis of DFF, which could accelerate the mass transfer of I^- (I₂ ) to aqueous (organic) phase and avoid over-oxidation to achieve high selectivity. After the solvent system, iodine concentration, and reaction time were optimized, highly efficient DFF synthesis (selectivity >99 %) could be achieved in the electrochemical flow system using inexpensive graphite felt (GF) as electrode. Moreover, selective HMF oxidation was paired with the hydrogen evolution reaction with increased efficiency after using in-situ-loaded GF-CoS₂ /CoS and GF-Pt electrodes. As a result, the required energy to achieve the gram-scale synthesis of DFF was significantly reduced, demonstrating outstanding potential for large-scale production of the target product.

Electro-Oxidative sp3 C-H Bond Functionalization and Annulation Cascade: Synthesis of Novel Heterocyclic Substituted Indolizines

Indolizine derivatives are prevalent in many synthetic intermediates, pharmaceuticals, and organic materials. Herein, we report a novel electro-oxidative cascade cyclization reaction that uses electricity as the primary energy input to promote the reaction, leading to a series of heterocyclic substituted indolizine derivatives under exogenous-oxidant-free conditions. It is noteworthy that this electrochemical method provides a novel strategy for generating heterocyclic diversity of quinazolinones and quinolines on indolizines. In addition, the sole byproduct in the reaction was molecular hydrogen.

An electrocatalytic three-component reaction for the synthesis of phosphoroselenoates

Phosphoroselenoates are important organic molecules because they have found widespread applications in many fields.

An Electrochemical Way to Generate Amphiphiles from Hydrazones for the Synthesis of 1,2,4-Triazole Scaffold Cyclic Compounds

An electro-oxidative cyclization pathway in which hydrazones are selected as starting materials to generate amphiphiles by reacting with benzylamines and benzamides was reported. This strategy successfully prepared a series of 1,2,4-triazoles in satisfactory yields. Moreover, the use of cheap stainless steel as the anode, the feasibility to conduct the transformation as a one-pot reaction and the proof that scaling-up these reactions is possible make this transformation attractive for potential application in industry.

Electrochemical oxidative cyclization of N-allylcarboxamides: efficient synthesis of halogenated oxazolines

Herein, we reported an efficient and sustainable intramolecular electrochemical cyclization of N-allylcarboxamides for the synthesis of various halogenated oxazolines.

Electrosynthesis of S-thiocarbamates with disulfides as a sulfur source

An electrochemical oxidative synthesis of S-thiocarbamates by a carbamothioation reaction via a three-component coupling reaction (disulfide, water and isocyanide) is developed, which avoids the use of external oxidants and generates only hydrogen gas as the by-product. With NH₄I as the mediator and electrolyte, the desired S-thiocarbamates were obtained in good yields in an undivided cell at room temperature.

Electrochemical Desaturative β-Acylation of Cyclic N-Aryl Amines

Herein, we disclose a straightforward, robust, and simple route to access β-substituted desaturated cyclic amines via an electrochemically driven desaturative β-functionalization of cyclic amines. This transformation is based on multiple single-electron oxidation processes using catalytic amounts of ferrocene. The reaction proceeds in the absence of stoichiometric amounts of electrolyte under mild conditions, affording the desired products with high chemo- and regioselectivity. The reaction was tolerant of a broad range of substrates and also enables late-stage β-C(sp³ )-H acylation of potentially valuable products. Preliminary mechanistic studies using cyclic voltammetry reveal the key role of ferrocene as a redox mediator in the reaction.

Electrochemical sulfonylation of enamides with sodium sulfinates to access β-amidovinyl sulfones

The electrochemical sulfonylation of enamides with sodium sulfinates was developed in an undivided cell in constant current mode, leading to the formation of β-amidovinyl sulfones in moderate to good yields. The catalyst-, electrolyte- and oxidant-free protocol features good functional group tolerance and employs electric current as a green oxidant. Mechanistic insights into the reaction indicate that the reaction may proceed via a radical mechanism.

Electrochemically promoted oxidative α-cyanation of tertiary and secondary amines using cheap AIBN

The electrochemical α-cyanation of tertiary and secondary amines has been developed by using a cheap cyanide reagent, azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN). The CN radical, generated through n-Bu₄NBr-meidated electrochemical oxidation, participates in a novel α-cyanation reaction under exogenous oxidant-free conditions.

Electrochemical synthesis of isobenzofuran-1-imines using oxidative halocyclization of o-alkynylbenzamides

Electrochemical oxidative 5-exo-dig-oxo-halocyclization of o-alkynylbenzamides was achieved using readily available NaX (X = Cl, Br and I) salts under mild reaction conditions. The use of a cheap and highly stable sodium halide as a halide ion source is impressive for the synthesis of a variety of halogenated isobenzofuran-1-imines. This electrochemical protocol shows regioselectivity and excellent conversion to isobenzofuran-1-imines in good yields without the use of stoichiometric amounts of oxidants and transition metal catalysts.