Reaction Condition Screening by Using Electrochemical Microreactor: Application to Anodic Phenol-arene C,C Cross-Coupling Reaction in High Acceptor Number Media

The anodic phenol-arene C,C cross-coupling reaction was achieved in inexpensive and sustainable media such as methanol, acetic acid, and formic acid by using an electrochemical microreactor which can provide a better performance to screen reaction conditions than in standard beaker-type electrolysis cells. Especially, formic acid as a reaction medium showed good performance. The total amount of cross-coupling product and homo-coupling products as a by-product was clearly increased as the solvent acceptor number increased. To control the selective oxidation of phenol, addition of methanol was effective.