Electrochemical Synthesis of Ketones via Metal-Free Decarboxylative Coupling of Vinyl Azides and NHPI Esters

Abstract We introduce a metal-free method for C–C bond formation by coupling NHPI esters with vinyl azides through electrochemical synthesis. By converting carboxylic acids into radical-initiating NHPI esters, our approach achieves efficient C(sp³)–C(sp3) bond formation without needing metal catalysts. This method is highly adaptable, enabling the coupling of various NHPI esters with a broad range of vinyl azides, including those with halide or heteroatom substitutions.