The Electrochemical Production of Organic Hypochlorite Compounds

Abstract

The electrochemical synthesis of organic hypochlorite compounds is important as a process for direct production of reactive halofunctionalization agents (1, 2). These materials are useful as intermediates which contain a halogen in the plus one valence state, and applicable to the manufacture of industrial chemicals such as propylene oxide (2) and calcium hypochlorite (3–5). This electroorganic synthesis requires a raw material feed of aqueous brine, organic alcohol, and organic solvent in an undivided cell without separator, and no solvent in a second multi‐chambered cell having a membrane. For example, tertiary butyl hypochlorite can be prepared by the electrolysis of aqueous sodium chloride brine and tertiary butyl alcohol. High product yield, current density, and current efficiency is achieved by the proper choice of anode‐cathode or anode‐membrane gap, proper control of the pH, and cell temperature control. The addition of an organic solvent such as carbon tetrachloride can be used in the “gap‐cell” to extract the organic hypochlorite formed within the aqueous brine phase during or after the electrolysis step, according to the following overall reaction