Electrochemical utilization of methanol and methanol-d4 as a C1 source to access (deuterated) 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one

Herein, an electrocatalytic protocol for the synthesis of 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one has been disclosed. Methanol is activated and utilized as the C1 source to cyclize with 2-aminobenzamides. This cyclization reaction proceeds conveniently (room temperature and air atmosphere) without any homogeneous metal catalysts, external oxidants, or bases. A wide variety of N,N-disubstituted 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones are obtained via this approach. Moreover, when methanol-d(4) is used, a deuterated methylene motif is incorporated into the N-heterocycles, providing an efficient approach to the deuterated N-heterocycles. (C) 2021 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.