Substrate-Mediator Duality of 1,4-Dicyanobenzene in Electrochemical C(sp²)-C(sp³) Bond Formation with Alkyl Bromides

Electrochemical approaches to form C(sp(2))-C(sp(3)) bonds have focused on coupling C(sp(3)) electrophiles that form stabilized carbon-centered radicals upon reduction or oxidation. Whereas alkyl bromides are desirable C(sp(3)) coupling partners owing to their availability and cost-effectiveness, their tendency to undergo radical-radical homocoupling makes them challenging substrates for electroreductive cross-coupling. Herein, we disclose a metal-free regioselective cross-coupling of 1,4-dicyanobenzene, a useful precursor to aromatic nitriles, and alkyl bromides. Alkyl bromide reduction is mediated directly by 1,4-dicyanobenzene radical anions, leading to negligible homocoupling and high cross-selectivity to form 1,4-alkyl cyanobenzenes. The cross-coupling scheme is compatible with oxidatively sensitive and acidic functional groups such as amines and alcohols, which have proven difficult to incorporate in alternative electrochemical approaches using carboxylic acids as C(sp(3)) precursors.