Electrochemical oxidative decarboxylative of α-oxocarboxylic acids towards the synthesis of quinazolines and quinazolinones.

A mild and environmentally electrochemical method for the synthesis of quinazolines and quinazolinones has been developed through anodic oxidation decarboxylative of α-oxocarboxylic acids. The present reaction was efficiently conducted by using simple and cheap NH 4 I as the N-source and electrolyte in an undivided cell. The desired products, quinazolines and quinazolinones, were isolated in high yield under chemical oxidant free conditions.