Chemoselective Electrochemical Synthesis of 3-Hydroxyisoindolinones from Phthalimide Imines

We report an electrochemical method for the radical-radical coupling of alkyl iodides with phthalimide imines under mild conditions. This operationally simple electro-reductive procedure enables selective reduction of carbonyl groups, offering an efficient route to access functionalized 3-hydroxyisoindolinones in moderate-to-excellent yields. Notably, the highly functionalized 3-hydroxyisoindolinones have shown promising bioactivity in preliminary assessments, pointing to the significant potential of this chemical scaffold for anticancer cell applications. A comparative analysis has demonstrated that the hydrazone moiety within the product structure plays an indispensable role in conferring bioactivity.