Paired Electro‐Organic Syntheses: I . Cathodic Adipate with Anodic Bimalonate

Abstract

A procedure is reported for the co‐electrolysis of ethyl acrylate and diethyl malonate using as solvent/electrolyte system to yield diethyl adipate and tetraethyl ethane‐1,1,2,2‐tetracarboxylate in high (95%) yield and good (60%) current efficiency. A convenient cell which allows experimentation in the 2–5g range was fabricated from a hollowed‐out graphite cylinder (optionally lined with lead) which served as one electrode and a graphite rod machined and held so as to be counterelectrode and mechanical stirrer. General aspects of paired organic syntheses are discussed as well as the specific problems that are involved when the paired reactions are hydrodimerization‐dehydrodimerization.