Halogen Bond-Assisted Electron-Catalyzed Atom Economic Iodination of Heteroarenes at Room Temperature

A halogen bond-assisted electron-catalyzed iodination of heteroarenes has been developed for the first time under atom economic condition at room temperature. The iodination is successful with just 0.55 equiv of iodine and 0.50 equiv of peroxide. The kinetic study indicates that the reaction is elusive in the absence of a halogen bond between the substrate and iodine. The formation of a halogen bond, its importance in lowering the activation barrier for this reaction, the presence of radical intermediates in a reaction mixture, and the regioselectivity of the reaction have been demonstrated with several control experiments, spectroscopic analysis, and quantum chemical calculations. Allowing the formation of the halogen bond may offer a new strategy to generate the reactive radical intermediates and to enable the otherwise elusive electron-catalyzed reactions under mild reaction conditions.