An electrochemical synthesis of N-acylbenzotriazoles has been developed under mild conditions with good to excellent yields using aldehydes and benzotriazole as starting materials. In addition, a one-pot reaction of aldehyde, benzotriazole and phenol has been achieved affording phenolic esters in moderate yields under the combination of electricity-on/off conditions, where N-acyl benzotriazole acted as the benign acylating reagent. It is noteworthy the research provided environmental friendly syntheses in that no superstoichiometric hazardous chemical oxidants were required, corrosive/toxic reagents have been avoided and waste production has significantly been reduced. The key of the electrochemical synthesis involves the oxidation of benzotriazole-aldehyde adduct by phthalimido-N-oxy (PINO), which was generated by N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) as a redox mediator.
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