Electroreductive alkylations of (hetero)arenes with carboxylic acids

Abstract Carboxylic acids are widely available and generally inexpensive from abundant biomass feedstocks, and they are suitable and generic coupling partners in synthetic chemistry. Reported herein is an electroreductive coupling of stable and versatile carboxylic acids with (hetero)arenes using protons as the hydrogen source. The application of an earth-abundant titanium catalyst has significantly improved the deoxygenative reduction process. Preliminary mechanistic studies provide insights into the deoxygenative reduction of in-situ generated ketone pathway, and the intermediacy generation of ketyl radical and alkylidene titanocene. Without the necessity of pressurized hydrogen or stoichiometric hydride as reductants, this protocol enables highly selective and straightforward synthesis of various functionalized and structurally diverse alkylbenzenes under mild conditions. The utility of this reaction is further demonstrated through practical and valuable isotope incorporation from readily available deuterium source.