Reactions of Electrochemically Generated Organometallics, 2. The Use of Zinc, Tin, Aluminium, Indium, and Iron as Sacrificial Anodes in the Electrochemically Assisted Reformatsky Reaction of Ethyl 2‐Bromoalkanoates with Succinic Anhydride

Abstract

AbstractZinc, tin, aluminium, indium, and iron were applied as sacrificial anodes in the electrochemically assisted Reformatsky reaction of succinic anhydride (1) with ethyl 2‐bromoalkanoates 2. In all cases the expected 1‐ethyl 3‐oxohexanedioates 3 were abtained in good to moderate yields. However, the amount of current consumed for the dissolution of one equivalent of anode metal strongly depends on the kind of metal. Whereas aluminium and iron require 1 Faraday per equivalent (Faraday val–1), tin demands only 0.9 Faraday val–1, and zinc and indium require an even smaller amount of current. It is assumed that in the case of the last three metals the electro‐chemical Reformatsky reaction is overlapped by a current‐independent normal Reformatsky reaction, in which the anode acts as activated metal.