Strategy for controlling the Kolbe Electrosynthesis in the presence of aromatic fragments and amino groups in the molecule

Abstract

A general characteristic of processes that occur during anodic oxidation of phenylacetic and phenylpropionic acids and derivatives of α- and β-amino acids on platinum electrodes in methanol and mixed pyridine–methanol solutions is given. From preparative electrolyses in stagnant and flow-through reactors, conditions are determined under which the dimerization (Kolbe electrosynthesis) is least complicated by the formation of polymer products. Properties of removed electrodes, on which stable polymer films formed during the electrosynthesis, are examined. For films formed in certain conditions on the cathode, the presence of a quasi-reversible redox transition is demonstrated. Such films contain disperse platinum codeposited with polymer as a result of the anode dissolution in the cells with common compartments. In principle, the film-modified electrodes can be used for controlling anodic decarboxylation.