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Published on: April 10, 2018
o-Carborane as an electron-transfer mediator in electrocatalytic reduction
Kohei Hosoi1, Shinsuke Inagi, Tatsuya Kubo
1Department of Electronic Chemistry, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta, Yokohama 226-8502, Japan.
This study shows 1,2-diphenyl-o-carborane acts as an effective mediator for electrocatalytic reduction. It efficiently converts 1,2-dibromo-1,2-diphenylethane to trans-stilbene with high yield.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Organometallic Chemistry
- Organic Synthesis
Background:
- Carboranes are a unique class of organoboron compounds with diverse chemical properties.
- Electrocatalysis offers a sustainable approach for chemical transformations.
- Mediated electron transfer is crucial for efficient electrochemical reactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the electron transfer behavior of 1,2-diphenyl-o-carborane.
- To explore the potential of 1,2-diphenyl-o-carborane as a mediator in electrocatalytic reductions.
- To synthesize trans-stilbene from 1,2-dibromo-1,2-diphenylethane using electrocatalysis.
Main Methods:
- Cyclic voltammetry (CV) was employed to study the electron transfer characteristics.
- Electrocatalytic reduction was performed in the presence of the carborane mediator.
- Product yield was determined using standard analytical techniques.
Main Results:
- 1,2-diphenyl-o-carborane exhibited distinct electron transfer behavior.
- A significant catalytic current was observed in the presence of 1,2-dibromo-1,2-diphenylethane.
- Macroscale electrocatalytic reduction using 1 mol% carborane mediator yielded trans-stilbene in excellent yield.
Conclusions:
- 1,2-diphenyl-o-carborane serves as an effective mediator for electrocatalytic reductions.
- This method provides a high-yielding and efficient route to trans-stilbene.
- The findings highlight the utility of carboranes in sustainable electroorganic synthesis.
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