Simon, TamirVasquez, AntonioKelcher, Austin R.Olivares, Jacob A.Ji, Chang2021-08-242021-08-242020-02Simon, T., Vasquez, A., Kelcher, A. R., Olivares, J. A., & Ji, C. (2020). The role of oxygen in the electrochemical reduction of ethyl 2-(2-(Bromomethyl)phenoxy)acetate at carbon cathodes in dimethylformamide. Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 167(4).1945-7111https://hdl.handle.net/10877/14440Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and controlled-potential electrolysis (CPE) were employed to examine the direct reduction of ethyl 2-(2-(bromomethyl)phenoxy)acetate at carbon cathodes in dimethylformamide (DMF) containing tetramethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TMABF₄) as the electrolyte. Cyclic voltammogram of the substrate exhibits a single irreversible cathodic wave with a peak potential of –1.75 V vs SCE, which is characteristic for the reduction of organic halides in aprotic solvents. Bulk electrolyses of ethyl 2-(2-(bromomethyl)phenoxy)acetate were carried out in the absence and presence of oxygen. The product distributions were obtained by gas chromatograph (GC) as well as gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer (GC−MS). Two bicyclic compounds, ethyl 2,3-dihydro-1-benzofuran-2-carboxylate and ethyl benzofuran-2-carboxylate, were found to be formed in a total yield of more than 40% in the presence of oxygen. The reaction mechanism, in which the oxygen plays a significant role, was proposed and discussed on the basis of this study.Text5 pages1 file (.pdf)encarbon cathodesdimethylformamideelectrochemical reductionChemistry and BiochemistryArticle© 2020 The Author(s).https://doi.org/10.1149/1945-7111/ab72efThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.