Electrochemical synthesis of selenocyanated imidazo[1,5-a]quinolines under metal catalyst- and chemical oxidant-free conditions

Reported herein is the first example of electrochemical selenocyanation of imidazo[1,5-a]quinolines with KSeCN under metal catalyst- and chemical oxidant-free conditions. This sustainable strategy shows a broad scope and great compatibility with functional groups, and affords synthetically and biologically important selenocyanated imidazo[1,5-a]quinolines in good to excellent yields with cheap graphite and Ni plates as the electrodes. The gram-scale synthesis was also successfully conducted, which might demonstrate the potential value of this electrochemical protocol.