Harnessing the Reactivity of Nitroarene Radical Anions to Create Quinoline N‐Oxides by Electrochemical Reductive Cyclization

Abstract

Electrochemical reduction of 2‐allyl‐substituted nitroarenes using a simple, undivided electrochemical cell with non‐precious electrodes to generate nitroarene radical anions was developed. The nitroarene radical anion intermediates participate in 1,5‐hydrogen atom transfer reactions to construct quinoline N‐oxides bearing aryl‐, heteroaryl‐, alkenyl‐, benzyl‐, sulfonyl‐, or carboxyl groups.