Anodic trifluoromethylation of 10-undecylenic acid

The electrooxidation of a (～3: 1) mixture of trifluoroacetic and 10-undecylenic acids in MeCN with an aqueous KOH addition on different anodic catalysts was studied. The oxidation of trifluoroacetate ions that forms trifluoromethyl radicals is the key stage of the process, while 10-undecylenic acid seems to be merely an acceptor of the electrogenerated radicals, i.e., shows the chemical properties characteristic of olefins. The galvanostatic electrolysis of trifluoroacetic and 10-undecylenic acids led to a mixture of the products of trifluoromethylation of the latter and the products of coupling of the formed radical species. According to a qualitative estimation, the total yield of these products was 74%.