Electrochemical Difunctionalization of Alkenes by a Four-Component Reaction Cascade Mumm Rearrangement: Rapid Access to Functionalized Imides.

An electrochemical four-component reaction cascade Mumm rearrangement was developed. It is a rare example of in situ generation of O-acyl isoamides for 1,3-(O→N) acyl transfer. Inexpensive, commercially available arylethylenes, aryl or heterocyclic acids, acetonitrile, and alcohols were used as substrates. A wide range of aryl acids and alcohols were tolerated and provided imides in satisfactory yields. Subsequent hydrolysis of imides could be utilized to synthesize valuable amides and β-amino alcohol derivatives.