Claims
- 1. A process for effecting sequential electrochemical reactions of redoxidative organic compounds at a porous working electrode having a first face and a second and opposite face, which process comprises:
- (a) electrolyzing a liquid electrolysis medium containing such redoxidative organic compound, solvent, and supporting electrolyte at the first face of the working electrode, which face is maintained at a selectible electrical potential;
- (b) effecting the flow of the electrolysis medium through the working electrode;
- (c) electrolyzing the electrolysis medium at the second and opposite face of the working electrode, which face is independently maintained at a selectible electrical potential; and
- (d) recovering a sequentially electrolyzed product of such redoxidative organic compound.
- 2. The process of claim 1 wherein the concentration of the redoxidative compound is between about 0.01 percent and about 15 percent by weight.
- 3. The process of claim 2 wherein the redoxidative compound is nitrobenzene.
- 4. The process of claim 3 wherein the nitrobenzene is reduced to N-phenylhydroxylamine, which is oxidized to nitrosobenzene.
- 5. The process of claim 2 wherein the redoxidative compound is phenol.
- 6. The process of claim 5 wherein the phenol is oxidized to p-benzoquinone, which is reduced to hydroquinone.
- 7. The process of claim 2 wherein the redoxidative compound is aniline.
- 8. The process of claim 7 wherein the aniline is oxidized to N-phenylquinonedimine, which is reduced to 4-aminodiphenylamine.
- 9. The process of claim 1 wherein the solvent is water.
- 10. The process of claim 1 wherein the solvent is acetonitrile.
- 11. The process of claim 1 wherein the concentration of the supporting electrolyte is between about 1.0 percent and about 15 percent by weight.
- 12. The process of claim 11 wherein the supporting electrolyte is sodium acetate.
- 13. The process of claim 11 wherein the supporting electrolyte is sulfuric acid.
- 14. The process of claim 11 wherein the supporting electrolyte is sodium sulfate.
- 15. The process of claim 11 wherein the supporting electrolyte is tetra-n-propylammonium tetrafluoroborate.
- 16. The process of claim 1 wherein the electrolysis medium contains an in situ compound capable of being added to the redoxidative compound during the course of the sequential electrochemical reaction to produce an addition product therewith.
- 17. The process of claim 16 wherein the redoxidative compound is toluene, the in situ compound is acetonitrile, and the addition product is 2,3-butanedione bis-benzylimine.
- 18. The process of claim 16 wherein the redoxidative compound is chloroacetonitrile (chloromethyl cyanide), the in situ compound is 1,3-butadiene, and the addition product is 4,8-dodecadienedinitrile.
- 19. The process of claim 1 wherein the working electrode is set at ground potential.
- 20. The process of claim 1 wherein the working electrode potential at the first face of the working electrode is sufficient to convert the redoxidative compound into an initial electrochemically generated species, and the working electrode potential at the second and opposite face of the working electrode is sufficient to convert the initial electrochemically generated species into a subsequent electrochemically generated species or the final product.
- 21. The process of claim 20 wherein the sequential conversion of the redoxidative compound comprise an initial oxidation at the first face of the working electrode and a subsequent reduction at the second and opposite face of the working electrode.
- 22. The process of claim 20 wherein the sequential conversion of the redoxidative compound comprise an initial reduction at the first face of the working electrode and a subsequent oxidation at the second and opposite face of the working electrode.
- 23. The process of claim 20 wherein the sequential conversion of the redoxidative compound comprise an initial oxidation at the first face of the working electrode and a subsequent oxidation at the second and opposite face of the working electrode.
- 24. The process of claim 20 wherein the sequential conversion of the redoxidative compound comprise an initial reduction at the first face of the working electrode and a subsequent reduction at the second and opposite face of the working electrode.
- 25. The process of claim 1 wherein the working electrode potential at the first and second and opposite faces of the working electrode is no more than about +2.0 volts for oxidations and -1.0 volt for reductions.
Parent Case Info
This is a division, of application Ser. No. 755,312, filed Dec. 29, 1976 and now U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,429 granted Jan. 31, 1978.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
48000 |
Mar 1964 |
PLX |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
755312 |
Dec 1976 |
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