Use of Nafion membranes in laboratory organic electrosynthesis

Abstract

Electrolysis of quaternary ammonium bromides and iodides in a divided cell with a Nafion membrane yields quaternary polyhalogenides at a carbon anode in water-ethanolic anolytes. The electrodialysis of tetrabutylammonium iodide in a cell with a Nafion membrane enables generation of tetrabutylammonium hydroxide. In electrolytic reduction of nitrobenzene in presence of 1,3-dibromopropane, N-phenylisooxazolidine results in an approx. 60% yield. This electrosynthesis takes place in dimethylformamide with tetrabutylammonium bromide at a glassy-carbon cathode in a divided cell. In the electroreduction of lobelanine hydrogensulfate in a divided cell in acid water-ethanolic media at a lead cathode prevalently lobelanidine has been obtained.