Abstract
Electrochemical bromination of alkyl aromatic compounds by two-phase electrolysis yields the corresponding α, α-dibrominated products. The reaction has been carried out in a single-compartment electrochemical cell using aqueous sodium bromide (40–50%), containing a catalytic amount of HBr as electrolyte, and chloroform, containing an alkyl aromatic compound, as the organic phase with a Pt plate as anode at 10–15°C. Two-phase electrolysis results in high yields (70–90%) of dibromomethyl, bis(bromomethyl), and bis(dibromomethyl) arenes, depending upon the charge passed.
Notes
a Structures were confirmed from their spectra (NMR, IR) data.
b Isolated yield.
c p-Nitro bromomethyl benzene (50%) is present along with 50% p-nitro dibromomethyl benzene.
d Isolated as a solid after trituration with n-hexane.