Mechanism of the electrochemical reduction of 2-halo-5-nitrothiophenes in dimethylformamide

The reduction of 2-bromo-5-nitrothiophene and 2-iodo-5-nitrothiophene in dimethylformamide (DMF) was studied by means of classical and commutated polarography, EPR spectroscopy, a rotating platinum disk electrode with a ring, and preparative electrolysis. It was established that, depending on the nature of the halogen, their anion radicals may undergo further reduction to 2-nitrothiophene anion radicals or decomposition with splitting out of a halide anion and conversion to nitrothienyl radicals, which were identified on the ring electrode. The latter are capable of undergoing dimerization to 2,2-dinitro-5,5-dithienyl. The spectra of the anion radicals of 2-nitrothiophene and 2,2-dinitro-5,5-dithienyl were recorded by means of EPR. A mechanism for the reduction of halonitrothiophenes is proposed.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 195–198, February, 1981.