Merging shuttle reactions and paired electrolysis for reversible vicinal dihalogenations

Shuttling halide pairs back and forth The transfer of adjacent hydrogens from a saturated to an unsaturated organic compound is a fairly common reaction. However, analogs that shuttle two heavy atoms back and forth are much harder to catalyze. Dong et al. report an electrochemical approach that transfers a pair of adjacent chlorines or bromines from an alkyl compound to an olefin. The method could help to remediate halogenated pollutants while concurrently producing fine chemicals. Science , this issue p. 507