Electrochemical Esterification Reaction of Alkyne Aldehyde with Alcohols Mediated by Carbene and Iodine

A new type of alkyne esterification was developed under electrochemical conditions using alkyne aldehydes and alcohol compounds as starting materials and carbene and iodine as mediators. Through this method, external oxidants and transition metals are excluded and the alkyne bond is fully preserved. This approach is compatible with a wide range of substrates and various functional groups and provides a green and mild new route for directly converting alkyne aldehydes into alkyne esters. A novel method for electrochemical synthesis of alkyne esters has been developed, which involves the one‐step synthesis of alkyne esters from alkyne aldehydes through the mediation of NHC and iodine. This method has high atomic economy and avoids the use of transition metals and external oxidants, making it environmentally friendly.