Electroreductive silylation of activated olefins using a reactive metal anode

Abstract Electroreductive acylation of 3-aryl substituted α,β-unsaturated esters and nitriles in the presence of aliphatic carboxylic anhydrides using areactive metal anode (Mg, Al, Zn) in an undivided cell afforded the corresponding β-acyl compounds in moderate to good yields. It was found that anionic species formed by electron transfer from a cathode may be stabilized by metal ions freshly formed from an anode and undergo electrophilic attack of carboxylic anhydrides to give the β-acyl products in high yields as compared with the previously reported method using a divided cell.