Ethanetetracarboxylic ester

The propanedioate (malonate) carbanion can be oxidized directly at an anode to give ethanetetracarboxylate esters, presumably via a radical intermediate.2-4 Competing oxidation of solvent leads to a mixture of products3,4 and for preparative purposes it is advantageous to carry out the reaction via indirect electrolysis as reported here. Indirect electrolysis refers to the continuous generation and regeneration of a reagent at an electrode, which inter-... 

Ethenetetracarboxylate esters may be reduced to the anion radical or stable dianion states depending on the cathode potential. Both have been used extensively as electrogenerated bases [84]. Interestingly, ethanetetracarboxylate esters do not give stable anion radicals but cleave to give the corresponding malonate anions [85]. 

Carbon-carbon single bonds may be cleaved when the two carbon atoms bear substituents that sufficiently stabilize the anions formed on the uptake of electrons to make them relatively weak bases. The reduction of ethanetetracarboxylate esters illustrates that these esters are reducible at rather negative potentials in DMFf-10% water at a mercury cathode at 60-65°C with splitting of the central carbon-carbon bond [3] ... 

Tetramethyl 1,1,2,2-Ethanetetracarboxylate 1,1,2,2-Ethanetetra-carboxylic acid, tetramethyl ester (8,9) (5464-22-2)... 

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