Electrochemistry in Organic Synthesis

This book has been written as an introduction to the electro- synthesis of organic compounds, in particular for organic chemists. Both authors assume that the knowledge of electro- chemistry of these specialists is rather poor and is usually based only on the remnants of the teaching in the courses on physical and analytical chemistry during their university stud- ies. Even with Czech chemists one cannot expect - as it was in the past - the experience obtained in the courses on polaro- graphy. This is the reason why it was deemed necessary to write an introductory text to the electro synthesis of organics both as regards the theoretical and the methodological point of view, i. e. the fundamentals, the experimental setup, the application of various working and reference electrodes, the shape and con- struction of electrolysis cells, the use of suitable pro tic and aprotic solvents, the experience obtained with various sup- porting electrolytes, the separation and isolation of products, as well as the use of inert gases which prevent the interaction of intermediates and of final products with, for example, oxygen or traces of water. - The second part of the book contains a systematic description of preparative organic electrochemical processes, the interpretation of their mechanisms and several prescriptions for synthesizing characteristical groups of com- pounds. As a whole the book is not written in an exhaustive way.