Electrochemical benzylic C–H arylation of xanthenes and thioxanthenes without a catalyst and oxidant

Abstract

A catalyst-free and oxidant-free C–H arylation of xanthenes and thioxanthenes using electrochemistry has been developed, which affords a number of cross-coupling products in moderate to good yields. This method is atom- and step-economical as it uses cheap and easily available arenes and heteroarenes as partners directly and the C(sp²)–H/C(sp³)–H type cross-coupling reaction.