The reduction of acetamide by solvated electrons electrochemically generated in lithium chloride–hexamethylphosphoramide

Abstract

The reduction of acetamide by electrochemically generated electrons in the presence of a proton donor has been studied in the LiCl–hexamethylphosphoramide system. The ratio of the two products, ethanol and ethylamine, was found to depend upon the acid-sensitive decomposition route of the gem-amino-alcohol intermediate. Sufficiently acidic conditions could be achieved using hydrochloric acid as proton donor to make ethylamine the major product. This relatively high acidity did not cause excessive hydrogen evolution.