Examples of Commercialized Organic Electrode Processes - Fundamentals and Applications of Organic Electrochemistry - page 342

solvent is removed and the product is purified
by silica gel column chromatography.
A.4 Kolbe Electrolysis
Diester synthesis from monoester of adipic
acid [5]
The Kolbe reaction, which involves one-electron
oxidation of carboxylate and subsequent
decarboxylation to form its dimer, is very
effective in producing higher alkanes. For
example, the monoester of adipic acid can be
converted to its dimeric compound ( Eq. A.3 ).
(A.3)
An electrolytic cell equipped with a platinum
anode and a cathode (25 mm × 30 mm,
distance 5 mm) is filled with a methanol
solution (250 ml) containing adipic acid
monomethyl ester (120 g, 0.75 mol), sodium
methoxide (4.1 g, 0.075 mol) and pyridine (10
ml, 0.12 mol). Constant current electrolysis (1.1
A, current density 0.13 mA cm −2 ) is performed
for 23 h. During electrolysis under these
conditions heat generates to induce reflux of the
reaction mixture. After cooling to room
temperature, acetic acid (20 ml) is added to the
mixture to acidify it. The solvent is removed
under reduced pressure and the residual solid is