Electroorganic synthesis of catecholthioethers

reaction: see text] It is demonstrated that o-quinones, generated by the electrochemically driven oxidation of the catechols (1a-d) at physiological pH, are rapidly scavenged by 2-mercaptobenzoxazole (3) to give related catecholthioethers (4a-d) via an EC electrochemical mechanism pathway. The electrochemical syntheses of 4a-d have been successfully performed in one-pot in ambient conditions and in an undivided cell using an environmentally friendly method with high atom economy.