Direct Electrochemical Defluorinative Carboxylation of <i>gem</i>-Difluoroalkenes with Carbon Dioxide

Abstract

We report a facile and economical synthesis of α-fluoroacrylic acids via direct electrochemical defluorinative carboxylation of <i>gem</i>-difluoroalkenes with CO₂. By using a platinum plate as the working cathode and a cheap nickel plate as the anode in a user-friendly undivided cell under constant current conditions, the reactions proceed smoothly under room temperature, without the use of expensive transition metal catalysts, ligands, external base or reductant, affording the desired adducts in up to 83% yield and 20:1 <i>Z</i>/<i>E</i> ratio, with good functional group tolerance. A cyclic voltammetry study was conducted and suggested a novel ECEC process.