An Electrochemical Method for Carboxylic Ester Synthesis from N-Alkoxyamides

An electrochemical method for the synthesis of carboxylic as well as hindered esters from N-alkoxyamides has been reported. The electrochemical reaction proceeds through constant current electrolysis (CCE) by taking advantage of the dual role of n-Bu4NI (TBAI) as the redox catalyst as well as the supporting electrolyte. Besides providing mild reaction conditions, the present protocol is free from external oxidants and conducting salts, thereby generating nitrogen as the nonhazardous side product. Additionally, the developed procedure is highly advantageous due to its short reaction time, wide substrate scope, and gram-scale synthesis.