Anodic oxidation of some substituted benzoylacetanilides in non-aqueous media

Abstract

Anodic oxidation of three series of benzoylacetanilides has been investigated in benzonitrile at a platinum electrode. Series I contains substituents on the benzoyl moiety, series II has the substituents on the anilide moiety and series III has substituents on both benzoyl and anilide moieties. All these compounds are oxidized in two irreversible one-electron processes following the ECEC mechanism leading to the formation of the corresponding substituted 2,4-dioxo-1 -phenyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline. A good linearity is obtained when the E_½ values are plotted against the σ substituent constants of the substituents in the different series (I–III).