Recent advances in the electrochemical reduction of substrates involving N−O Bonds

Abstract

In this review, the versatile and rich chemistry for the electrochemical reduction of substrates involving N−O bonds is surveyed. By the cathodic treatment of nitro, nitroso and other oxygenated organic nitrogen substrates, versatile and reactive intermediates are formed which can be subsequently converted to high value-added products. In many examples, nitrogen heterocycles are selectively formed, but, also depending on the electrolytic conditions, free oximes, nitrones, amines and other entities can be obtained as well. The recent decades have witnessed two major advances – (i) going directly to more complex target molecules and (ii) conducting the electrolyses in much simpler set-ups. Both improvements make the cathodic access of the target compounds much more practical and scalable.