CuPd Nanoparticles as a Robust Catalyst for Electrochemical Allylic Alkylation.

We report an efficient CuPd nanoparticle (NP) catalyst (3 nm CuPd NPs deposited on carbon support) for catalyzing electrochemical allylic alkylation in water/isopropanol (v/v 1/1) and 0.2 M KHCO 3 solution at room temperature. The Pd-catalysis was Pd/Cu composition dependent and CuPd NPs with Pd/Cu ratio close to 1 are the most efficient catalyst for the selective cross-coupling of alkyl halides and allylic halides to form C-C hydrocarbons with product yields reaching up to 99%. This NP-catalyzed electrochemical allylic alkylation expands the synthetic scope of cross-coupling reactions and can be further extended to other organic reaction systems for developing green chemistry electro-synthesis methodologies.