Paired Electrosynthesis of Aromatic Azo Compounds from Aryl Diazonium Salts with Pyrroles or Indoles
An efficient paired electrosynthesis of functionalized aromatic azo compounds through a diazenyl radical pathway has been developed. The paired electrolysis simultaneously uses the anode and cathode reactions to avoid the electricity expense of oxidation/reduction of sacrificial substances, thereby maximizing energy efficiency and achieving high atom economy. The in vitro cytotoxicity of all compounds was evaluated against four cancer cell lines by MTT assay. Results showed that the aromatic azo compounds exhibited good antitumor activity in vitro, and one of the compounds induced tumor cell apoptosis. (Figure presented.).