Facile and one-pot,electro-organic synthesis of a new bis-quinone by the ECCE mechanism in green media

Electrochemical oxidation of 4-methyl catechol(1a) is investigated in the presence of 1,3-indandione(3)as nucleophile in phosphate buffer solution(0.2 mol/L,pH 6) mixed with ethanol as organic green solvent(50/50) using cyclic voltammetry and controlled-potential coulometry.The results indicated thatquinones derived from electro-oxidation of 1a,participated in a 1,4-Michael addition reaction with1,3-indandione(3) under ECCE mechanism.In this direction,a new bis-quinone was synthesized in high yield and good purity using a facile and convenient electrochemical pathway by carbon anode electrodes in an undivided cell.