Abstract:

Organic electrosynthesis is an emerging field of organic synthesis because its controllability, efficiency, and "green" profile. However, electrochemical synthesis has not yet been implemented in the organic chemistry laboratory curriculum for undergraduates. Organic sulfides are widely present in natural products and bioactive molecules. They are also important intermediates in organic synthesis. Most traditional methods for the preparation of these species require reductants and harsh reaction conditions. Recently, we reported the facile electrochemical reduction of sulfoxides to sulfides under mild reaction conditions. Subsequently, we designed a "green" electrochemical protocol for the efficient synthesis of diphenyl sulfide, from readily available phenyl sulfoxide, at room temperature. This experiment aimed to establish the concept of "green" synthesis amongst the undergraduate student population.

Key words: Organic electrosynthesis, Reduction, Green chemistry, Sulfide