Electrochemical oxidative C-H/N-H cross-coupling for C-N bond formation with hydrogen evolution.

Under metal catalyst-free and exogenous-oxidant-free conditions, a series of C-3 aminated imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines were synthesized by electrochemical intermolecular oxidative C-H/N-H cross-coupling. Furthermore, by using a catalytic amount of ferrocene as the mediator, electrochemical intramolecular oxidative C-H/N-H cross-coupling for the synthesis of 10H-benzo[4,5]imidazo[1,2-a]indole derivatives has also been accomplished.