Direct electrochemical reductive amination between aldehydes and amines with a H/D-donor solvent

A novel electrochemical synthesis protocol has been achieved for reductive amination between aldehydes and amines in undivided cells at room temperature. Under metal-free and external-reductant-free electrolysis conditions, various important secondary amine products are obtained in moderate-to-high yields. Deuterium-labeling experiments have demonstrated that low-toxicity DMSO acts both as a solvent and a H-donor in the reaction. On this basis, various deuterium-labeled products with good-to-excellent D-incorporation have been synthesized by using DMSO- d 6 as a solvent. Furthermore, a molecule with GR-antagonistic activity has been synthesized through further sulfonylation. Electrochemical reductive amination of aldehydes and amines was first realized at room temperature by using DMSO/DMSO- d 6 as a H/D-donor solvent.