Mechanistic studies on the electrochemical fluorination of trialkylamines and tetraalkylammonium salts

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0022-1139(96)03550-6

The comparative electrochemical fluorination (ECF) of selected trialkylamines and tetraalkylammonium salts was studied in order to obtain experimental data allowing a precise valuation of the ECF mechanism. The results of the investigation favour the ECF mechanism already proposed by Simons, via oxidation of F^- .(HF)_n to F and nHF, as probably the only relevant electrochemical process at the anode. For the first time some experimental proof has been obtained that a direct electrochemical oxidation of the substrate can be ruled out as a decisive step in ECF.