Facile Electroreduction of Methyl Esters and N,N-Dimethylamides of Aliphatic Carboxylic Acids to Primary Alcohols

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00030a003

In the presence of t-BuOH, methyl esters and N,N-dimethylamides of aliphatic carboxylic acids are electroreduced at a Mg cathode to the corresponding primary alcohols.In the presence of t-BuOD instead of t-BuOH, the electroreduction of the esters gives the corresponding 1,1-dideuterated alcohol.In all cases, the yields are excellent.