Metal‐Free Electrocatalytic C(sp2)‐H Acyloxylation of Aromatic Ring to Synthesis of Acetoxylated Phenylethers.

This report describes the electrocatalytic regioselective acyloxylation and halogenation of aromatic C(sp2)‐H bond in an undivided cell without any toxic or expensive metals. This electrocatalytic acyoxylation of phenyl ether resulted in chemoselective C−H bond functionalization to give a series of aryl ether products with acyloxy, hydroxyl and halogen group. In addition, cyclic voltammograms showed that the electrode was the first step to oxidize aromatic rings, and a possible mechanism was proposed based on the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]