Electrochemical organic reactions via catalytic halide substitution
AssigneeThe Dow Chemical Company
InventorKenneth J. Stutts
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Abstract
An improved process for the electrochemical reaction of a lower organic halide, e.g., benzyl chloride, wherein the improvement comprises the catalytic in situ conversion of the lower organic halide to a higher organic halide, e.g., benzyl iodide, which reacts under milder conditions than does the lower organic halide. An example of such an improved process is the dimerization of a benzyl chloride to form a diphenylethane wherein a catalytic amount of sodium iodide is added to the electrochemical cell under conditions such that the conversion of the benzyl chloride to benzyl iodide is effectively driven to completion.
Claims18
A process for converting a lower organic halide compound to an organic product compound comprising
- (1) a first chemical reaction wherein the lower organic halide compound is catalytically in situ converted to a higher organic halide compound by the addition to the lower organic halide compound of a catalytically effective amount of a higher halide compound with the proviso that reaction conditions are such that the conversion of the lower organic halide compound to the higher organic halide compound is essentially complete;
- (2) an electrochemical reaction comprising reducing, at a potential less negative than that required to reduce the lower organic halide compound, the higher organic halide compound formed in step (1) to (a) a reduced organic compound and (b) the higher halide ion catalyst;
- and
- (3) a second chemical reaction wherein the reduced organic halide compound formed in step (2) reacts under conditions sufficient to form the organic product compound;
- wherein the step (2) is carried out in the presence of a cathode selected from the group consisting essentially of stainless steel, aluminum, carbon, Group 1B metals, and Group VIIA metals and an anode selected from the group consisting essentially of platinum, magnesium, ruthenium or titanium and carbon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.