ELECTROCHEMICAL REDUCTION OF BROMOMETHYL PHENYL KETONE

A study was made of the electrochem. redn. of bromomethyl Ph ketone at a Hg cathode in DMF (<0.01% H2O) contg. Et4NClO4 or LiClO4 as supporting electrolyte. The redns. were carried out in the absence and in the presence of an electrophilic substrate (CO2) or substrates contg. a sufficiently acidic H atom (2,3-di-Me phenol, PhOH or PhCOOH). Products isolated include MePhCO and PhCOCH2CH2COPh. If LiClO4 were substituted for Et4NClO4 the redn. products were MePhCO and 2,4-diphenylfuran. Several reaction schemes are discussed.