title: Electrocarboxylation of benzyl halides through redox catalysis on the preparative scale.
abstract: The electrocarboxylation of benzyl halides to the corresponding carboxylic acids through homogeneous charge-transfer catalysis was investigated both theoretically and experimentally to determine the influence of the operative parameters on the yield of the process and on the catalyst consumption. Theoretical considerations, based on fast kinetics of redox catalysis, were confirmed by the electrocarboxylation of 1-phenyl-1-chloroethane catalyzed by 1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid dimethyl ester performed at a carbon cathode under different operative conditions. We obtained high yields of the target carboxylic acid and experienced a low catalyst consumption by operating with optimized [RX]bulk/[CO2]bulk and [RX]bulk/[catalyst] ratios.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica dei Processi e dei Materiali, Viale delle Scienze 90128 Palermo, Italy. scialdone@dicpm.unipa.it
authors.forename: Onofrio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Scialdone
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galia
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Silvestri
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Amatore
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Thouin
authors.forename: Jean-Noel
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Verpeaux