Water → (4-Phenylpyridin-2-YL)methanol

Participants

Reaction Steps

The procedure of Example 1 was used except that the catholyte was prepared from the following weight parts: 4-phenylpicolinamide (0.3), phosphoric acid (0.9), water (2.0), and toluene (0.8). The reduction was carried out similarly to Example 1 to give a 71% yield of 4-phenyl-2-pyridylcarbinol at 5.8 F/mole charge passage. Repeating the reduction with no toluene added gave a 49% yield of carbinol at 6 F/mole charge passage. Addition of a titanium salt to the catholyte containing added toluene resulted in a 55% yield of 4-phenyl-2-picolylamine by HPLC analysis. Other cathode materials than lead were also used successfully such as cadmium or zinc with similar results.

Provenance & Evidence