Kolbe electrolysis symmetrical coupling

Kolbe electrolysis is a powerful method of generating radicals for synthetic applications. These radicals can combine to symmetrical dimers (chap 4), to unsymmetrical coupling products (chap 5), or can be added to double bonds (chap 6) (Eq. 1, path a). The reaction is performed in the laboratory and in the technical scale. Depending on the reaction conditions (electrode material, pH of the electrolyte, current density, additives) and structural parameters of the carboxylates, the intermediate radical can be further oxidized to a carbocation (Eq. 1, path b). The cation can rearrange, undergo fragmentation and subsequently solvolyse or eliminate to products. This path is frequently called non-Kolbe electrolysis. In this way radical and carbenium-ion derived products can be obtained from a wide variety of carboxylic acids. 

Two equal carboxylates can be coupled to symmetrical dimers (Eq. 4). In spite of the high anode potential, that is necessary for Kolbe electrolysis, a fair number of... 

Reaction between a siloxycyclopropane and Cu(BF3)2 in ether gives a product due to symmetrical coupling of two homoenolate moieties (Eq. 53, Table 12) [51]. This is particularly noteworthy as a simple route to 1,6-ketones superior to classical approaches such as the Kolbe electrolysis [52], Several lines of evidence suggest the intermediacy of Cu(II) homoenolates. AgBF3 and CuF2 effect the same reaction albeit with lower yields. The reactions with cupric halides give... 

By anodic decarboxylation carboxylic acids can be converted simply and in large variety into radicals. The combination of these radicals to form symmetrical dimers or unsymmetrical coupling products is termed Kolbe electrolysis (Scheme 1, path a). The radicals can also be added to double bonds to afford additive monomers or dimers, and in an intramolecular version can lead to five-membered heterocycles and carbocycles (Scheme 1, path b). The intermediate radical can be further oxidized to a carbenium ion (Scheme 1, path c). This oxidation is favored by electron-donating substituents at the a-carbon of the carboxylic acid, a basic electrolyte, graphite as anode material and salt additives, e.g. sodium perchlorate. The carbocations lead to products that are formed by solvolysis, elimination, fragmentation or rearrangement. This pathway of anodic decarboxylation is frequently called nonKolbe electrolysis. 

The alkyl groups of two identical carboxylic acids can be coupled to symmetrical dimers in the presence of a fair number of functional groups (equation 1). Since free radicals are the reactive intermediates, polar substituents need not be protected. This saves the steps for protection and deprotection that are necessary in such cases when electrophilic or nucleophilic C—C bond-forming reactions are involved. Furthermore, carboxylic acids are available in a wide variety from natural or petrochemical sources, or can be readily prepared from a large variety of precursors. Compared to chemicd methods for the construction of symmetrical compounds, such as nucleophilic substitution or addition, decomposition of azo compounds or of diacyl peroxides, these advantages make the Kolbe electrolysis the method of choice for the synthesis of symmetrical target molecules. No other chemical method is available that allows the decarboxylative dimerization of carboxylic acids. 

Heterocoupling (cross coupling) of two dilferent carboxylates (= mixed Kolbe electrolysis) is a method for synthesizing unsymmetrical compounds (Eq. 5). However, as the intermediate radicals combine statistically the mixed coupling product is always accompanied by two symmetrical dimers as major side-products. 

To make this coupling more attractive for synthesis, the less costly acid is used in excess. This way the number of major products is lowered to two, which facilitates the isolation of the mixed dimer. Furthermore, the more costly acid is incorporated to a large extent into the mixed dimer. The chain length of the two acids should be chosen in such a way that the symmetrical dimer formed in excess can be separated from the cross-coupling product either by distillation or crystallization. Problems due to passivation that lead to an increase of the cell voltage or due to competing oxidation of the radicals to carbocations (non-Kolbe electrolysis) are often less pronouneed in mixed coupling. 

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