Carbon dioxide fixation method for electrosynthesis of benzoic acid from chlorobenzene

• Main Authors: Abdul Jalil, Aishah, M. A., Hartini, S., Normala, A. M., Norhuda, M. H., N. Hanis, H. M., Razif, T., Sugeng
• Format: Article
• Published: Chengdu Institute of Organic Chemistry 2007
• Subjects: TP Chemical technology
• Online Access: http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/8686/; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1003-9953(07)60059-0

Carbon dioxide fixation technique was developed as an alternative dechlorination method of chlorobenzenes. Electrolysis of chlorobenzene was carried out in a one-compartment cell fitted with an aluminium anode and a platinum cathode. Electrolysis in N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) solution containing 0.1 M of tetrapropylammonium bromide (TPAB) at 0 °C, 100 ml/min of CO2 flow rate and 120 mA/cm2 of current density was found to be the optimum conditions of this electrocarboxylation, which gave 72% yield of benzoic acid from chlorobenzene. These conditions were then applied to 1,2-dichlorobenzene and 1,3-dichlorobenzene in order to convert them to their corresponding benzoic acids.