Electrosynthesis of cyclopropane derivatives by a Perkin-type reaction

Article abstract of DOI:10.1007/BF00699141

Electrolysis of active methylene compounds at a Pt cathode in MeCN in the presence of vicinal dihaloalkanes leads to cyclopropane derivatives in yields up to 90percent.In the cases of CH-acids with low pK_a it is expedient to apply more active dihaloalkanes, while for CH-acids with higher pK_a the desired product yields may be raised using electrogenerated bases. - Key words: CH-acids; 1,2-dihaloalkanes; cyclopropanes; electrosynthesis; electroreduction; electronegative bases; azobenzene.