Electrochemically Supported Reduction Of Epoxides Into Oleifins In Aqueous Solution

Deoxygenation of epoxides into alkenes is a highly important synthetic transformation inorganic and pharmaceutical chemistry, because it allows the use of the oxirane ring as aprotective group for carbon-carbon double bonds. Due to the instability of epoxides in water,which afford alcohols, the deoxygenation in water is rarely reported. It is of great importanceto develop new deoxygenation reactions with broader of substrate scope and to realize itssustabable synthesis.Owing to its mild reaction conditions, easy control, lower toxicity, etc., organicelectrochemical synthesis is particularly favored by chemists. And environmental friendlyorganic reactions in aqueous media have received more and more attention.The development of electro-organic chemistry, deoxygenation of epoxides are reviewedin this paper. In view of previous research results, we managed to realize the deoxygenationof epoxides by the aqueous electrosynthesis.The project focuses on the electrochemical behaviors of epoxides. Extensive studieswere directed to optimize the reaction conditions on current, voltage, electrode, electrolyteand its concentration. The studies have shown that in an undivided cell with zinc foils asanode and cathode, constant current and sat. aq NH4Br:THF=8:1as electrolyte, a wide varietyof epoxides could be deoxygenated in good yields (up to96%). Studies based on X-raydiffraction, scanning electron microscope and cyclic voltammetry have shown that the in situprepared nano-zinc promoted the deoxygenation of epoxides efficiently.