CHLORINATION OF TOLUENE BY TWO-PHASE ELECTROLYSIS.

The authors have obtained benzyl chloride as well as chlorotoluenes by the electrolysis of toluene in immiscible two-phase systems. It is shown that the electrochemically evolved Cl//2 is transported to the non-polar organic phase, and then reacts with the methyl group through a radical mechanism which is accelerated by light irradiation. Based on experimental data, the authors conclude that it is important to note that the yields and the selectivity of the chlorinated products in the two-phase electrolysis are much affected by the electrolysis conditions. The electrochlorination of other aromatic substrates is also being investigated and the results will be published in the near future.