Electrochemical N-heteroarene carboxylation: Reactor-dependent site selectivity

Selectivity is typically achieved through chemical approaches. Recently in Nature, Yu, Lin, and co-workers disclosed an electrochemical carboxylation of N-heteroarenes with site selectivity tunable through reactor configurations. Using divided and undivided cells, they achieved C5- and C4-carboxylations, respectively, of 2-arylpyridines. Computations suggest that the C4-carboxylation represents a typical Curtin-Hammett scenario. Selectivity is typically achieved through chemical approaches. Recently in Nature, Yu, Lin, and co-workers disclosed an electrochemical carboxylation of N-heteroarenes with site selectivity tunable through reactor configurations. Using divided and undivided cells, they achieved C5- and C4-carboxylations, respectively, of 2-arylpyridines. Computations suggest that the C4-carboxylation represents a typical Curtin-Hammett scenario.