Electrolytic anodic syntheses

Electro-organic chemistry is the study of the oxidation and reduction of organic molecules and ions, dissolved in a suitable solvent, at an anode and cathode respectively in an electrolysis cell, and the subsequent reactions of the species so formed. The first experiment of this type was reported in 1849 by Kolbe, who described the electrolysis of an aqueous solution of a carboxylate salt and the isolation of a hydrocarbon. The initial step involves an anodic oxidation of the carboxylate anion to a radical which then dimerises to the alkane. 

Following the study of the simple coupling of radicals derived from the salt of a single carboxylic acid, it was found that the electrolysis of a mixture of carboxylate anions or of the salts of half esters of dicarboxylic acids increased the synthetic value of the method. This arises from the possibility of the formation of symmetrical and unsymmetrical coupled products of the derived radicals. These anodic syntheses are illustrated in the synthesis of hexacosane (Expt 5.11), sebacic acid (decanedioic acid), octadecanedioic acid and myristic acid (tetra-decanoic acid), in Expt 5.131. 

Some general considerations which require variations in the simple electrolysis cell construction described above to meet the requirements for electrolytic oxidations and reductions of a wide range of organic compounds may be briefly summarised, but attention is drawn to the very extensive surveys which are available.32 

The first general comment relates to the solvent system. In those cases where the electrolysis substrate does not exist in an aqueous-ethanolic or methanolic solution in a suitable ionic form, it is necessary to provide a solvent system of low electrical resistance which will dissolve the substrate, and also a supporting electrolyte whose function is to carry the current between the electrodes. Examples of such solvents are dioxane, glyme, acetonitrile, dimethylformamide and dimethyl sulphoxide supporting electrolytes include the alkali metal halides and perchlorates, and the alkylammonium salts (e.g. perchlorates, tetrafluoro-borates, toluene-p-sulphonates). With these electrolysis substrates, mass transfer to the electrode surface is effected by efficient stirring. 

The electrode material frequently has crucial consequences on the course of electrolytic oxidation and reduction processes. Although platinum is the commonest electrode material, carbon, mercury and copper have all been used in numerous specific conversions. Selection of electrode material should therefore be based upon previously established characteristics when new conversions are to be studied. 

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A comprehensive work on the electrodeposition chemistry and characterization of anodically synthesized CdTe thin films has been presented by Ham et al. [98]. In this work, along with the electrolytic anodic synthesis of CdTe by using Cd anodes in alkaline solutions of sodium telluride, an electroless route of anodizing a Cd electrode held at open circuit in the same solution was also introduced. The anodic method was expected to produce CdTe with little contamination from Te on account of the thermodynamic properties of the system the open-circuit potential of Cd anodes in the Te electrolyte lies negative of the Te redox point, so... 

Hydrocarbons and di-esters, otherwise rather Inaccessible in a pure state, are conveniently prepared by electrolytic (anodic) synthesis. Thus simple coupling... 

Acid esters are useful synthetic intermediates. For example, their use in the synthesis of long-chain dicarboxylic esters by electrolytic (anodic) synthesis has already been noted (Expt 5.131). Furthermore the reaction of the acid ester with thionyl chloride in the usual way will convert the carboxylic acid grouping to an acyl chloride group thus yielding the synthetically useful ester-acyl chloride the products are usually purified by distillation under reduced pressure. 

SOFC Anode, cathode, electrolyte Powder synthesis... 

Murakami, T., Nishikiori, T., Nohira, T., Ito, Y. (2005). Investigation of anodic reaction of electrolytic ammonia synthesis in molten salts imder atmospheric pressure. Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 152(5), D75—D78. 

Electrolytic ammonia s mthesis in a molten salt under atmospheric pressure. In 2005, Murakami et al proposed an electrolytic ammonia synthesis process from water and nitrogen gas in molten salt under atmospheric pressure and at lower temperature. In this process, water vapor and was electrolyzed via electrochemical reaction to form ammonia gas and ions in molten salt. Nitride ions were formed on metallic cathode and oxygen ions were removed from metallic anode during electrolysis. The electrolyte was alkaline metallic chloride containing The principle is showed in Fig. 10.9. 

Knoevenagel condensation of malonic acid with heptaldehyde [111-71-7] followed by ring closure, gives the fragrance y-nonanoic lactone [104-61-0] (6) (14). Beside organic synthesis, malonic acid can also be used as electrolyte additive for anodization of aluminum [7429-90-5] (15), or as additive in adhesive compositions (16). 

New Synthesis. Many attempts have been made to synthesize oxaUc acid by electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide in either aqueous or nonaqueous electrolytes (53—57). For instance, oxaUc acid is prepared from CO2 as its Zn salt in an undivided ceU with Zn anodes and stainless steel cathodes ia acetonitrile containing (C4H2)4NC104 and current efficiency of >90% (53). Micropilot experiments and a process design were also made. 

The anodic oxidation of the carboxylate anion 1 of a carboxylate salt to yield an alkane 3 is known as the Kolbe electrolytic synthesis By decarboxylation alkyl radicals 2 are formed, which subsequently can dimerize to an alkane. The initial step is the transfer of an electron from the carboxylate anion 1 to the anode. The carboxyl radical species 4 thus formed decomposes by loss of carbon dioxide. The resulting alkyl radical 2 dimerizes to give the alkane 3 " ... 

Suitable starting materials for the Kolbe electrolytic synthesis are aliphatic carboxylic acids that are not branched in a-position. With aryl carboxylic acids the reaction is not successful. Many functional groups are tolerated. The generation of the desired radical species is favored by a high concentration of the carboxylate salt as well as a high current density. Product distribution is further dependend on the anodic material, platinum is often used, as well as the solvent, the temperature and the pH of the solution." ... 

Preparation of Memfield resin-bound nitro acetates, which is a suitable bndding block for the development of combinatorial solid phase synthesis, is repotted. The anion of ethyl nitro acetate is generated in DMF by an electrochemical method using Pt cathode, magnesium rod anode, and tetrabutylairunonium bromide as an electrolyte. Alkylaton of this anion with alkyl hahdes gives mono-alkylated products in 80% yield." ... 

M. Faraday was the first to observe an electrocatalytic process, in 1834, when he discovered that a new compound, ethane, is formed in the electrolysis of alkali metal acetates (this is probably the first example of electrochemical synthesis). This process was later named the Kolbe reaction, as Kolbe discovered in 1849 that this is a general phenomenon for fatty acids (except for formic acid) and their salts at higher concentrations. If these electrolytes are electrolysed with a platinum or irridium anode, oxygen evolution ceases in the potential interval between +2.1 and +2.2 V and a hydrocarbon is formed according to the equation... 

Radicals, (34), that subsequently dimerise, are also obtained through the anodic oxidation of carboxylate anions, RCO20, in the Kolbe electrolytic synthesis of hydrocarbons ... 

Various nanoporous AAO membranes have been obtained by varying different parameters such as applied voltage, temperature of electrolyte, electrolytic concentration and speed of rotation of electrolyte in two step anodization process. SEM analysis performed for evaluation of results. The relationship between pore size and variation of different parameters obtained. The synthesized membranes have been used as template for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes of different nano dimensions. 

GDE s may be interesting for synthesis cells as depolarized electrodes (e.g. [48]). A hydrogen-consuming anode will work at a low potential that avoids undesired anodic oxidations (e.g. no chlorine evolution in presence of chlorides). In order to reject an excess of the electrolyte from the GDE structure, a proton-conducting membrane (Nafion ) between the GDE and the electrolyte can be used ( Hydrina , De Nora Spa. [49]). 

For cases directly comparable to the cyclization originating from (27) above, the yields of the product were not as high. However, a related reaction used in the synthesis of an 11-substituted dibenzo[a,d]-cycloheptenimine derivative was very successful as shown in Scheme 11 (Eq. 2) [32]. In this reaction, a controlled potential electrolysis of (33) led to the formation of the tetracyclic (34) in an 85% isolated yield. The reaction was performed on a 1 g scale using an undivided cell, a graphite felt anode, a stainless steel cathode, a saturated calomel reference electrode, and a 1% NaBF4 in 70 30 THF/water electrolyte solution. The electrolysis was scaled up further with the use of a flow cell. In this experiment, 200 g of (33) were oxidized in order to afford a 75% isolated yield of (34). 

Handa et al. reported the synthesis of a phosphorus equivalent of Barthel s salts in which the hexavalent phosphorus(V) was coordinated by three bidentate ligands. 1.2-benzenediolato-O.C7. Its thermal stability is similar to that of its boron counterparts, and moderate ion conductivity was achieved in nonaqueous media. The authors attributed the less-than-satisfactory ion conduction to the large size of the anions, which increased the viscosity of the resultant electrolyte solutions. The anodic stability limit, as measured by voltammetry on a Ni electrode, was below 3.7 V. A preliminary test of this salt in EC/ THF was conducted in a lithium cell using the low potential cathode. V2O5. and the authors believed that this salt could be a superior electrolyte solute, judging from the utilized cell capacity that was close to the theoretical value. 

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