Transition‐metal‐catalyzed C−H activation has attracted much attention from the organic synthetic community because it obviates the need to prefunctionalize substrates. However, superstoichiometric chemical oxidants, such as copper‐ or silver‐based metal oxidants, benzoquinones, organic peroxides, K2S2O8, hypervalent iodine, and O2, are required for most of the reactions. Thus, the development of environmentally benign and user‐friendly C−H bond activation protocols, in the absence of chemical oxidants, are urgently desired. The inherent advantages and unique characteristics of organic electrosynthesis make fill this gap. Herein, recent progress in this area (until the end of September 2018) is summarized for different transition metals to highlight the potential sustainability of electro‐organic chemistry.

No abstract

Reported herein is the electrochemical engendering of chlorine radicals by a manganese catalyst with a controllable pattern, and inexpensive MgCl2 as the chlorine source.