Synthesis of α-Hydroxycarboxylic Acids from Various Aldehydes and Ketones by Direct Electrocarboxylation: A Facile, Efficient and Atom Economy Protocol

In present work, the formation of α-hydroxycarboxylic acids have been described from various aromatic aldehydes and ketones via direct electrocarboxylation method with 80-92% of yield without any side product and can be purified by simple recrystallization using sacrificial Mg anode and Pt cathode in an undivided cell, CO2 at (1 atm) was continuously bubbled in the cell throughout the reaction using tetrapropyl-ammonium chloride as a supporting electrolyte in acetonitrile. The synthesized compounds obtained in fair to excellent yield with a high level of purity. The characterization of electrocarboxylated compounds was done with spectroscopic techniques like IR, NMR (1H & 13C), mass and elemental analysis.