In oxidative electrochemical organic synthesis, radical intermediates are often oxidized to cations on the way to final product formation. Herein, we describe an approach to transform electrochemically generated organic radical intermediates into neutral products by reaction with a metal catalyst. This approach combines electrochemical oxidation with Cu catalysis to effect formal aza‐Wacker cyclization of internal alkenes. The Cu catalyst is essential for transforming secondary and primary alkyl radical intermediates into alkenes. A wide range of 5‐membered N‐heterocycles including oxazolidinone, imidazolidinone, thiazolidinone, pyrrolidinone, and isoindolinone can be prepared under mild conditions.

Rh(III)-catalyzed substrate-controlled transformation of azobenzenes to indazoles and 2-acyl (NH) indoles is achieved via C-H functionalization. Generally, good functional groups tolerance, satisfying yields, and excellent regio-selectivity are achieved in this reaction. Mechanistically, the reaction with acrylates undergoes β-hydride elimination, while the reaction with vinyl ketones or acrylamides undergoes nucleophilic addition. Copper acetate was supposed to play different roles in the β-hydride elimination to furnish indazoles and nucleophilic addition of C-Rh bond to deliver 2-acyl (NH) indoles.

A copper-promoted tandem reaction of a variety of azobenzenes and allyl bromides via N═N bond cleavage to regioselectively construct quinoline derivatives has been developed. The azobenzenes act as not only construction units but also an oxidant for quinoline formation.

Oxidative amination via amidyl radical addition of unactivated alkenes was realized by dual photoredox and copper catalysis.

Polyfluoroarenes are an important class of compounds in medical and material chemistry. The synthesis of alkylated polyfluoroarenes remains challenging. Here we describe a decarboxylative coupling reaction of N‐hydroxyphthalimide esters of aliphatic carboxylic acids with polyfluoroaryl zinc reagents (Zn‐ArF) via synergetic photoredox and copper catalysis. This method readily converts primary and secondary alkyl carboxylic acids into the corresponding polyfluoroaryl compounds, which could have a wide range of F‐content (2F‐5F) and variable F‐substitution patterns on the aryl groups. Broad scope and good functional group compatibility were achieved, including on substrates derived from natural products and pharmaceuticals. Mechanistic study revealed that a [Cu‐(ArF)2] species could be responsible for the transfer of polyfluoroaryl groups to the alkyl radicals.