Electroreductive acylation of aromatic imines with acylimidazoles

The intermolecular reductive coupling of aromatic imines with acylimidazoles was effected by electroreduction in the presence of chlorotrimethylsilane and gave α-amino-α-aryl ketones. This method was also effective for the synthesis of α-amino-α-aryl esters using methoxycarbonylimidazole as an electrophile.