One-pot synthesis of benzoic acid by electrocatalytic reduction of bromobenzene in the presence of CO2

The electrocatalytic properties of Ag for the reduction of organic halides have been exploited for one-pot electrosynthesis of benzoic acid. Among various investigated dipolar aprotic solvents, only dimethylformamide gives good results. The process has been investigated both under potentiostatic and galvanostatic control. In both cases, the reaction smoothly proceeds under mild conditions and lasts in a few hours, giving benzoic acid yields of the order of 80%.

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► Electrocarboxylation of RX is an efficient and simple method of synthesis of RCO2H.
► One-pot electrosynthesis of PhCO2H at Ag has been examined in different solvents.
► This metal is a good electrocatalyst for the reduction of PhBr to PhCO2H and PhH.
► The distribution of the products strongly depends on the nature of the solvent.
► Good results in terms conversion and acid yield are obtained in DMF.