Pharmaceuticals anodic processes

In a recent review, Tao etal. [34] describe the partial fluorination and the perfluorination of organics with particular emphasis on medically important compounds and pharmaceuticals. The selective electrofluorination (SEF) of olefins and active methylene groups is reviewed by Noel et al. [35] In the case of heterocycles, nuclear fluorination is known to be the predominant process. However, in aromatic compounds, nuclear substitution as well as addition proceeds simultaneously, leading to the formation of a mixture of products. The influence of solvents, supporting electrolytes, and adsorption on product yield and selectivity is summarized and evaluated. Dimethoxyethane is found to be a superior solvent for SEF processes. Redox mediators have been employed to minimize anode passivation and to achieve better current efficiencies. 

The Pharmaceutical Institute of L. W. Gans of Frankfurt3 has made known a process for electrochcrnically preparing fluorine-substitution products of albumens. The latter are suspended, or dissolved in a dilute aqueous solution of hydrofluoric acid or salts of this acid, and subjected at a platinum electrode to the anode current action. The discharged fluorine reacts with the albumen, forming substitution products. 

Fluorinated molecules have an important role in the pharmaceutical and fine chemicals industries. For some 60 years, anodic oxidation through the Symons and Phillips processes [40], have been used for the manufacture of perfluorinated small molecules such as alkanes and carboxylic acids. While such processes have met with commercial success, the chemistry is difficult to control and always leads to a mixture of products. The two processes also use very unpleasant and corrosive media, anhydrous hydrogen fluoride, and a HF/KF... 

Another possible application of electrochemical reactors for urine treatment is the removal of micropollutants such as pharmaceutical residues. Depending on the characteristics of the micropollutants, direct oxidation at the anode [33] or reduction at the cathode (e.g., for the removal of halogenated organic compounds such as trihalo-methanes, [34]) can be a suitable process. 

---