Electrochemical Activation of CO2 for the Synthesis of Ethyl Carbanilate under Mild Conditions

A novel electrochemical procedure for the synthesis of ethyl carbanilate from aniline and carbon dioxide was developed via the selective cathodic reduction of carbon dioxide in CO2-saturated DMF solution containing 0.1 mol/L TEABr at room temperature, followed by the addition of EtI as an alkylating agent. The synthesis was carried out under mild [p(CO2) = 1.0 × 105 Pa, t = 20°C] and safe conditions. Influences of the nature of the electrodes, the current densities, the passed charges during electrolysis, temperatures, and supporting electrolytes on the yield of ethyl carbanilate were studied to optimize the electrolytic conditions. The selectivity of ethyl carbanilate is 100%.