Rapid Access to Triarylmethanes (TRAMs) Enabled by Direct Electrolysis of Indolizines with Carbonyls.

A fast, scalable, transition metal-free, electrochemical sp 2 geminal functionalization of carbonyls enabled by anodic oxidation of non-prefunctionalized chromone-fused indolizines to access the triarylmethanes (TRAMs) is disclosed for the first time. This momentary electrochemical approach features the use of readily available carbonyls, implantation of the C(sp 3 ) center (well-known for dramatically improving biological active potency), a broad substrate scope, and excellent yields of TRAMs with fluorescence properties.