Citation: Yan-Cui Wen, Jia-Cheng Hou, Qian Zhou, Sheng-Hua Wang, Jun Jiang, Zi Yang, Hai-Tao Zhu, Zu-Li Wang, Wei-Min He. Linear paired electrolysis enables redox-neutral benzylation of N-heteroarenes with benzyl halides using ion resin as the recyclable electrolyte[J]. Chinese Chemical Letters, ;2025, 36(12): 111795. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.111795 shu

Linear paired electrolysis enables redox-neutral benzylation of N-heteroarenes with benzyl halides using ion resin as the recyclable electrolyte

Yan-Cui Wen ^a ,
Jia-Cheng Hou ^a ,
Qian Zhou ^a ,
Sheng-Hua Wang ^{b, *,} ,
Jun Jiang ^{a, *,} ,
Zi Yang ^{c, *,} ,
Hai-Tao Zhu ^d ,
Zu-Li Wang ^e ,
Wei-Min He ^{a, *,}

a.
School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
b.
School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Hunan Institute of Technology, Hengyang 421002, China
c.
Hunan Provincial University Key Laboratory of the Fundamental and Clinical Research on Functional Nucleic Acid, Changsha Medical University, Changsha 410219, China
d.
College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Baoji University of Arts and Sciences, Baoji 721013, China
e.
College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China

wangshenghua0731@163.com

jiangjun9005@163.com

yangziycy@163.com

weiminhe@usc.edu.cn

Received Date: 20 July 2025
Revised Date: 2 September 2025
Accepted Date: 5 September 2025
Available Online: 6 September 2025

Figures(7)

Herein, we have developed a sustainable linear paired electrolysis strategy for the redox-neutral benzylation of N-heteroarenes with benzyl halides using solid ion resin as the recyclable electrolyte. This method sufficiently utilizes both cathodic and anodic reactions to produce a variety of benzylated N-heteroarenes, features high atom- and step-economy, excellent energy efficiency, operational simplicity, good functional group tolerance, mild conditions and no requirement of sacrifice reagent and base additive. Importantly, the inexpensive and commercially available solid ion resin electrolyte was validated in both gram-scale synthesis and electrolyte cycling experiment. We hope this strategy not only provides a sustainable synthetic strategy for benzylated compounds but also develops the further utilization of ion resin in electrosynthesis as well as linear paired electrolysis.
- Paired electrolysis,
- Benzyl halides,
- Benzylation,
- N-Heteroarenes,
- Redox-neutral
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