The cathodic reduction of anthracene in lithium chloride–hexamethylphosphoramide

Abstract

The reduction of anthracene by electrochemically generated solvated electrons has been studied in LiCl–hexamethylphosphoramide using acetic acid as proton donor. The products were 9,10-dihydro-, 1,4,9,10-tetrahydro-, and 1,4,5,8,9,10-hexahydro-anthracene, and an octahydro-product that was probably reduced at the 1,2,3,4,5,8,9, and 10 positions. The variation of these products with time of electrolysis was investigated for a number of ratios of current density to substrate concentration.