Carbon-Acylation of Benzoic Anhydride Derivatives by Electroreduction

Abstract

Electroreduction of benzoic anhydride derivatives in the presence of aliphatic acid anhydrides gave the corresponding C- and O-diacylated products or 1,2-diacetoxy olefins depending upon the reaction conditions. Particularly, nucleophilic acylation of carbonyl carbon atoms may be an interesting reaction in organic synthesis. C- and O-diacylated products are useful as starting materials of sympathomimetic drugs such as epinephrine and ephedrine derivatives.