Direct oxidative carbon-carbon bond formation using the 'cation pool' Method. 1. Generation of iminium cation pools and their reaction with carbon nucleophiles

We have developed a method that involves the generation of a 'cation pool' using low-temperature electrolysis, and then its reaction with nucleophiles under non-oxidative conditions. This one-pot method solves problems associated with conventional oxidative generation of cations and their in situ reaction with nucleophiles, and provides an efficient method for direct oxidative carbon-carbon bond formation. As an example of this method, generation of cation pools from carbamates by low-temperature electrolysis (-72 °C) and their reactions with carbon nucleophiles such as allylsilanes, enol silyl ethers, and enol acetates were examined and the desired products were obtained in good yields. Aromatic compounds and 1,3- dicarbonyl compounds can also be utilized as carbon nucleophiles. The present method was also applied to combinatorial parallel synthesis using a robotic synthesizer.