ELECTROCHEMICAL REDUCTION OF CYCLIC AND ACYCLIC SULFATES.

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/bcsj.57.3160

It was confirmed that cyclic and acyclic sulfates of diols and monoalcohols could be reduced at cathodes in nonaqueous solvents. The reduction products were greatly affected by the molecular structures of the sulfates. The reduction of the cyclic sulfates of 1,2-diols yielded the corresponding alkenes and disulfate dianions of the parent diols in high yields and current efficiencies were based on one-electron reduction. On the other hand, the cyclic sulfates of 1,3- and 1,4-diols were also reduced by one-electron transfer under similar conditions, but the cycloalkanes expected were not formed and the products were cyclic ethers along with acyclic alkane or unsaturated alcohol. The reduction of the cyclic sulfate of hydrated formaldehyde, which is regarded as a 1,1-diol, did not give any identified products except for a small amount of methane.