Electroassisted catalysis of the reductive coupling of 2-bromooctane and methyl vinyl ketone by a binuclear cobalt–salen–iron complex in DMF solution: electrosynthesis and cyclic voltammetry analysis

Abstract

We report in this study the combined use of a CoSalen [H₂Salen=bis(salicylidene)ethane-1,2-diamine] complex and an undivided electrochemical cell process in the electroassisted reductive coupling of 2-bromooctane and methyl vinyl ketone with satisfactory results. Correlation between the electroanalytical analysis of the reactivity of CoSalen in the presence of 2-bromooctane and methyl vinyl ketone and the electrosynthesis performed in an undivided electrochemical cell with a sacrificial iron anode allows us to suggest that a heterobinuclear Co–Salen–Fe complex is the effective catalyst of the considered reaction. Stability of this intermediate during preparative electrolysis is also discussed.