Current affairs: Efficient N,N dimerization by using an electric current is a recent powerful example of preparative electrosynthesis where conventional reagents fail. The general and practical nature of this method as well as other applications will breathe new life into the electroorganic synthesis of complex molecules.

A mechanistic study on the conjugate addition of diethylzinc to cyclohexenone catalyzed by various chiral PIII ligands, provides new insights into its mechanism. Complete in situ conversion of the catalytic amount of Cu(OTf)2 into CuI species by excess ZnEt2 is demonstrated by EPR spectroscopy. Experimental evidence is presented in favor of a critical ternary 1:1:1 complex between enone, Et2Zn and catalyst, supporting a rate-limiting reductive elimination or carbocupration from a preformed mixed Cu/Zn cluster carrying one- or two-ligand molecules. A crystal structure has been obtained for a CuIL2 complex, which shows catalytic turnover on addition of reagent and substrate. NMR spectroscopic analyses and VT experiments reveal that steric hindrance may prevent complexation of a second ligand molecule on the CuI cation, leading to extremely fast precatalysts based on CuX.L species.

In this paper, a method for the generation of alkoxyamidyl radicals is presented. These N-centered radicals can efficiently be formed starting from the corresponding acylated alkoxyamines using IBX as an oxidant. Stereoselective 5-exo and 6-exo reactions with these N-heteroatom-centered radicals leading to isoxazolidines and [1,2]oxazinanes are discussed. The N-O bond in the heterocycles can readily be cleaved with SmI(2) to provide N-acylated 1,3-amino alcohols.

[reaction: see text] An efficient tandem radical process comprising a thermal alkoxyamine homolysis, an isonitrile trapping reaction, a 5-exo-trig cyclization, and a homolytic aromatic substitution leads to substituted dihydroquinolines. Depending on the substituent R(1), oxidation to dihydro-1H-cyclopenta[b]quinolines (for R(1) = aryl) or tautomerization to tetrahydro-1H-cyclopenta[b]quinolines (for R(1) = CO(2)Me, CN) occurs. The heterocycles are obtained in moderate to good yields. Upon using microwave-induced heating, the reaction time can be shortened from 3 days to 30 min.

Die effiziente N‐N‐Dimerisierung mit elektrischem Strom ist eine neue, leistungsfähige Methode in der präparativen Elektrosynthese, die mit konventionellen Reagentien nicht realisiert werden kann. Diese einfache und vielseitig einsetzbare Reaktion sowie die anderen in diesem Highlight vorgestellten Anwendungen haben das Potenzial, der elektroorganischen Synthese komplexer Moleküle neues Leben einzuhauchen.