Electrochemical Synthesis of Carbodiimides via Metal/Oxidant-Free Oxidative Cross-Coupling of Amines and Isocyanides.

This work discloses an electrochemical oxidative cross-coupling of amines with aryl and aliphatic isocyanides. In an undivided cell, the reaction proceeds without involving any transition-metal catalyst, oxidant, or toxic reagents providing carbodiimides in good yields, thereby circumventing stoichiometric chemical oxidants, with H2 as the only byproduct. Moreover, carbodiimides were in situ converted into unsymmetrical ureas in moderate to good yields using an electricity ON-OFF strategy.