Recent Advances in Multicomponent Electro-Organic (Electrochemical) Synthesis of Heterocycles

In terms of pharmaceuticals and biological applications, synthesis of complex organic molecules is a significant and fast-developing area. In this context, organic electrosynthesis is an alternative way to the traditional methods for chemo-, regio-, and stereoselective syntheses. Electro-organic reactions occur at room temperature and normal pressure, through transferring electrons. It has been found that electrosynthesis is a mild approach for preparing electrophilic substrates, bases, and nucleophiles in situ, from highly stable and low-level reagents; which can be further applied to make heterocycles more accessible. While several promising methods exist, multi-component reactions (MCRs) have drawn much attention both in academia and industry worldwide, since they are cost-efficient and environmentally friendly. Combining the electrosynthesis and MCRs has produced a great strategy in the field of organic synthesis for industry and research. This review focuses on recent advances in the electrochemical synthesis of heterocyclic compounds via multi-component reactions, reported between 2015 and March 2023.