The copper-palladium cathode to achieve pure one-electron cleavages: The case of alkyl bromides

The palladiated copper (Cu/Pd) interface employed as a new cathode in the field of bond cleavage reactions is presented. The chemical modification of copper by PdCl2 and the use of this electrode in cathodic cleavage reactions of non-activated carbon-bromine bonds is reported. In particular the ease of cleavage of these C-Br bonds at such interface is underlined while neither copper nor palladium taken separately did not show any specific activity. Moreover, the shift of the cathodic potential proper to the overall cleavage process is so large that one-electron scissions are observed in all cases. Data relative to the cleavage of alkyl (primary, secondary and tertiary) bromides are given and aim to exemplify the large possibilities of this kind of interface in organic electrochemistry.