www.ijmedres.co.in ©Copyright 2010 Medicobiological Research Publications. All rights reserved. Int J Med Res., 2017; 1(8): 448-451 IJMBR International Journal of Medicobiological Research (An International Peer Review Journal) Journal homepage: www.ijmedres.co.in; ISSN: 0976-8971 Research Article A Homogeneous Electrolysis Method for the Anodic Acetoxylation of Biphenyl A. Arun Joseph Rosario and S.R. Bheeter Department of Chemistry, St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli -620 002. Tamil Nadu, India Corresponding author: aajrosario@gmail.com Article information ABSTRACT Keywords: anodic acetoxylation, optimization, electrodes, supporting electrolyte, biphenyl. Received on : 16.06.2017 Revised on : 20.06.2017 Accepted on : 22.06.2017 A convenient, selective and homogeneous electrolysis method was developed for the anodic acetoxylation of biphenyl. Optimization studies were carried out on an undivided cell equipped with platinum anode and zinc cathode using a homogeneous electrolytic medium made up of acetonitrile solvent with a minimum amount of acetate salts as supporting electrolyte and zinc chloride at 30-35º C. This acetoxylation was achieved without acetic acid. The better yield (68%) was obtained when 2F of electricity was passed. The acetoxylation was also conducted in glacial acetic acid medium. Among the method reported so far this investigation is dealt with simple, efficient, and better way to the acetoxylation. 1. INTRODUCTION An optimal use of electroorganic synthesis depends not only on the possibility to synthesis compounds that are inaccessible by other routes or more easily available by electrolytic methods but also to a great extent on the availability of electrochemical cells that can produce relatively large quantities in a short period of time. [1] In industrialized production around 100 organic compounds were prepared by electrochemical method because of its simple, selective, cost effective, and less environmental contamination. [2] The polymer bound - 4-acetoxy biphenyl derivatives were widely used as solid support in organic synthesis in the field of polymer. [3] The routine conventional method to prepare 4- acetoxy biphenyl was expensive. Therefore the simple electrochemical technique was followed to prepare this compound. Moreover this electrochemical technique was also developed ecofriendly and economically. [4] In order to prepare the 4-acetoxy biphenyl with maximum yield various optimization studies were carried out. The electrolysis was conducted with various cathodes (Pt [5] Zn, Ni, [6] and graphite [7] ), supporting electrolytes (Et4NOAc [8] & Bu4NOAc [9] ) and organic solvents (MeCN [10] & MeOH [11] ). The electrolysis was achieved without acetic acid in the presence of Zinc Chloride. [12] The electrolysis was also carried out with various acetate salts (NaOAc, [13] KOAc, [14] and NH4OAc [15] ) in aqueous medium. Comparatively the organic medium gave the better yield than the aqueous medium. This could explain with the excellent solvent properties, better conductivity, and ease of purification step of acetonitrile. 2. EXPERIMENTAL 2.1. Materials and method Biphenyl was supplied by TCI. All other reagents were of analytical grade. The power source was used as a direct current source for the electrolysis. An undivided glass cell