Water as an Electron Donor for Cross-Electrophile Coupling Reactions

Cross-electrophile coupling (XEC) reactions are considered to be among the most fundamental construction of carbon-carbon bonds in organic chemistry. Traditionally, stoichiometric reductants, including metallic and organic reagents, are required to promote these conversions, resulting in significant waste that contributes to environmental pollution and increased disposal costs. In this study, we report a divided electrochemical synthesis-based cross-coupling platform in which H₂O is oxidized at the anode surface to generate electrons that produce a lower oxidation state nickel catalyst on the cathode surface, enabling XEC reactions without the need for metallic or organic reagents. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this strategy, a wide array of primary and secondary bromides, as well as pharmaceutically relevant (hetero)aryl halides, were identified as viable coupling partners.