Anodic Oxidation of Aldehydes to Carboxylic Acids

The indirect electrochemical oxidation of aldoses to the corresponding aldonic acids 273-27 ), which was carried out industrially as early as about 1930, is still used today for production on the tonne scale by Sandoz 27 S) and in India 276). Specific examples are the anodic oxidation of lactose to calcium lactobionate 275,277 278)  

Since aldehydes can generally be converted to the corresponding carboxylic acids in very good yields and in a simple manner by catalytic air oxidation, electrochemical syntheses are not of much interest to the chemical industry. The controlled electrochemical oxidation of glyoxal to glyoxylic acid is an exception 279 280  

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Scheme 19 Anodic oxidation of aldehydes to carboxylic acids at the nickel oxide electrode.

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