Electrochemical Metal‐Catalyzed Azidoesterification of Alkenes

Abstract We report an efficient and sustainable electrocatalytic approach for azidoesterification of alkenes. The reaction proceeds by electrochemical iron‐catalyzed oxidation of commercially available carbazates to produce alkoxycarbonyl radicals. Upon addition across alkenes, the generated transient carbon‐centered radicals get trapped by azido metal complexes to furnish the alkene difunctionalization products. This mild, operationally simple protocol transforms a wide variety of alkenes into the corresponding β ‐azido esters in good to excellent yields, thereby providing a practical access to β ‐amino acid derivatives from simple and readily available starting materials.