Electrochemical synthesis of butane-1,4-diol

A method for electrochemically preparing an .alpha.-,.omega.-dihydroxy-terminated alkane from a polymethylene halohydrin which comprises:

• establishing in an electrolytic cell an aqueous electrolytic bath comprising water, an electrolyte, an adequate proportion of a base to establish a pH in said bath not substantially below 7, and said polymethylene halohydrin where said halogen substituent is bromine or iodine and said polymethylene substituent contains between about 2 and 6 methylene groups, said cell having an anode and a cathode disposed in said bath, said cathode being copper, silver, nickel, or zinc;
• impressing an electric potential between said anode and said cathode to generate a current through said bath to cathodically couple the electrolyed polymethylene halohydrin to form said dihydroxy-terminated alkane, said pH of said bath being maintained not substantially below 7 during said potential impressing.