Efficient Fixation of Carbon Dioxide by Electrolysis — Facile Synthesis of Useful Carboxylic Acids —

Electrochemical fixation of atmospheric pressure of carbon dioxide to organic compounds is a useful and attractive method for synthesizing of various carboxylic acids. Electrochemical fixation of carbon dioxide, electrochemical carboxylation, organic halides, organic triflates, alkenes, aromatic compounds, and carbonyl compounds can readily occur in the presence of an atmospheric pressure of carbon dioxide to form the corresponding carboxylic acids with high yields, when a sacrificial anode such as magnesium or aluminum is used in the electrolysis. The electrochemical carboxylation of vinyl bromides was successfully applied for the synthesis of the precursor of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents such as ibuprofen and naproxen. On the other hand, supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) has significant potential as an environmentally benign solvent in organic synthesis and it could be used both as a solvent and as a reagent in these electrochemical carboxylations by using a small amount of cosolvent.