Nickel-Catalyzed Reductive Acylation of Carboxylic Acids with Alkyl Halides and N-Hydroxyphthalimide Esters Enabled by Electrochemical Process

A sustainable Ni-catalyzed reductive acylation reaction of carboxylic acids via an electrochemical pathway is presented, affording a variety of ketones as major products. The reaction proceeds at ambient temperature using unactivated alkyl halides and N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHP) esters as coupling partners, which exhibits several synthetic advantages, including mild conditions and convenience of amplification (58% yield for 6 mmol scale reaction). (Figure presented.).