title: N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Mediated Oxidative Electrosynthesis of Esters in a Microflow Cell.
abstract: An efficient N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-mediated oxidative esterification of aldehydes has been achieved in an undivided microfluidic electrolysis cell at ambient temperature. Productivities of up to 4.3 g h(-1) in a single pass are demonstrated, with excellent yields and conversions for 19 examples presented. Notably, the oxidative acylation reactions were shown to proceed with a 1:1 stoichiometry of aldehyde and alcohol (for primary alcohols), with remarkably short residence times in the electrolysis cell (<13 s), and without added electrolyte.
authors.affiliation: †Department of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton, Hampshire SO17 1BJ, U.K.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Green
authors.affiliation: †Department of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton, Hampshire SO17 1BJ, U.K.
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pletcher
authors.affiliation: ‡GlaxoSmithKline, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K.
authors.forename: Stuart G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Leach
authors.affiliation: †Department of Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton, Hampshire SO17 1BJ, U.K.
authors.forename: Richard C D
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Brown