Electroorganic synthesis Kolbe reaction

Nonetheless, a number of electroorganic synthesis reactions are known whose outcome i.e., whose yield and selectivity, is decisively determined by the nature of the electrode so that heterogeneous acceleration of at least one of several competitive reactions of the electrogenerated reactive intermediates might be anticipated. A famous case is the Kolbe reaction, which is essentially the anodic dimerization of alkyl radicals that are generated at platinum anodes by anodic oxidation of the anions of carboxylic acids ... 

The Kolbe reaction sounds historical in electroorganic chemistry, but it is still alive as an important synthetic tool in today s organic synthesis. 

Electroorganic synthesis offers opportunities for performing many of the conventional organic reactions at controlled rates and greater product selectivities without the addition of any catalyst. The processes almost always employ milder conditions and are characterized by greatly reduced air and water pollution. Further, there are a number of syntheses that can only be carried out electro-chemically, such as the Kolbe synthesis and electrochemical perfluorination. 

The third contribution deals with an rather old synthetic electroorganic reaction, Kolbe-Electrolysis. However, recently this reaction has found so many interesting and important new applications, for example in the synthesis of natmully products or the generation of versatile, even enatiomerically pure, synthetic building blocks, that it was nec sary to cover these new developments in a review. As these reactions are usually very easy to perform without expensive equipment, it is hoped that further applications in many laboratories will be initiated by this article. 

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