Enantioselective, electrocatalytic oxidative coupling of naphthol, naphthyl ether and phenanthrol on a TEMPO-modified graphite felt electrode in the presence of (–)-sparteine (TEMPO = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yloxyl)

Abstract

Constant potential electrolysis of 2-naphthol, 2-methoxynaphthalene and 10-hydroxyphenanthrene at 0.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl on a TEMPO-modified graphite felt electrode in the presence of (–)-sparteine in acetonitrile yields, enantioselectively, (S)-binaphthyl type dimers in >92% isolated yield and with >88% current efficiency with enantiomeric excesses of 98, 91 and 97% respectively for each dimer, respectively.