Electrochemical hydroxylation of certain aromatic compounds

摘要

This invention provides a process for the electrochemical hydroxylation of aromatic compounds ring-substituted with an electron-withdrawing moiety and having a replaceable nuclear hydrogen. An aqueous liquid comprising the aromatic substrate and the anion of a strong carboxylic acid provided by a strong carboxylic acid or the salt of a strong carboxylic acid is electrolyzed to produce a nuclear-substituted hydroxy derivative of the aromatic substrate wherein the hydroxy group replaces a nuclear hydrogen.