Synlett 2003(7): 0951-0954
DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-39311
LETTER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart ˙ New York

Electrooxidation of Alcohols in a Disperse System with N-Oxyl-immobilized Polyethylene Particles as Disperse Phase and Aqueous NaHCO3/NaBr as Disperse Media: A Totally Closed Electrolysis System

Hideo Tanaka*, Jun Kubota, Shin-ji Itogawa, Toru Ido, Manabu Kuroboshi, Kaoru Shimamura*, Tetsuya Uchida
Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Okayama University, Tsushima-Naka 3-1-1, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
e-Mail: tanaka95@cc.okayama-u.ac.jp;
Further Information

Publication History

Received 19 February 2003
Publication Date:
20 May 2003 (online)

Abstract

Electrooxidation of alcohols was performed successfully in a disperse system with N-oxyl immobilized polyethylene particles as disperse phase and an aqueous saturated NaHCO3 solution involving 20 wt% NaBr as disperse media. The N-oxyl immobilized polyethylene particles were prepared by heating a suspension of polyethylene particles (3 × 3 × 0.02 mm3) in fuming nitric acid at 80 °C for 1 h followed by treatment with 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpyperidine-1-oxyl in chlorobenzene in the presence of DCC. Recycle use of the N-oxyl-immobilized polyethylene particles and the aqueous media was performed successfully without significant change of the yields of the products and current efficiency, thereby offering a totally closed electrolysis system.

6

IR spectra of the polymer particles showed a characteristic absorption band at 1712 cm-1 due to carboxylic acid, which disappeared during the subsequent treatment with 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl.

7

Carried out on a Yanaco GC 6800 with a Quadrex Corporation fused silica glass capillary column (methyl phenyl 5: 25 m × 0.25 mm i.d.). Column 100 ºC, injector 270 ºC, detector 300 ºC, carrier gas, He; flow rate, 26 mL/min.

8

Electrogenerated iodine species, e. g., I2 and IO-, would not act as the oxidant for generation of N-oxoammonium ion from N-oxyl.