Direct Decarboxylative Phosphorylation of α-Amino Acids via Continous-Flow Electrochemistry

Herein we present a novel electrochemical method for the direct decarboxylative phosphorylation of α-amino acids to α-amino phosphonates, a key structural element in various biologically active compounds. This method bypasses the need for strong chemical oxidants and 2-step processes involving preliminary conversions, making it a more straightforward synthetic tool. Key to the success of the method is to establish a microenvironment on the anode surface in an acidic solution to facilitate selective anodic decarboxylation and subsequent C–P formation. The electrosynthetic process in continuous flow ensures benign conditions and excellent scalability through continuous production with parallel reactors.