Direct Electrochemical Synthesis of Bismuth(III) Phenoxides and their Coordination Compounds

Bismuth(III) phenoxides have been synthesized by electrochemical reactions of 1-naphthol, 2-naphthol, 4-aminophenol, 2-nitrophenol, 4-nitrophenol, 2-hydroxybenzoic acid, p-cresol, phenol, resorcinol, 2-tert-butylphenol and 2-tert-butyl-4-methoxyphenol at sacrificial bismuth anode and inert platinum cathode using tetrabutylammonium chloride as supporting electrolyte. The coordination compounds of these phenols with 1, 10-phenanthroline and 2, 2ʼ-bipyridyl have also been synthesized electrochemically. The solid products separated in the anode compartment have been isolated and characterized by elemental analysis and infrared spectral studies. Current efficiencies of these reactions are quite high.