Electrochemical fluorination of acetamide and formamide in molten KH2F3

The electrofluorination of acetamide (CH₃CONH₂) and formamide (HCONH₂) on the anode was studied in molten KH₂F₃ at 120°C. Amorphous carbon was used as the anode and Pt-rod as the reference electrode. Anodic products were analyzed by both gas chromatography and infrared spectroscopy.In the cases of both CH₃CONH₂ and HCONH₂, the anode effect occurred often in electrolysis at the current density range of 3～20 mA·cm^?2 and the anode gas was then composed 5of N₂(+O₂), NF₃, CF₄, C₂F₆, N₂O, CO₂(+COF₂) and so on. The addition of 1.0 wt% LiF into the electrolyte decreased the yield of NF₃.From these results, it is suggested that CH₃CONH₂ and HCONH₂ would react chemically with atomic fluorine produced on the (C_xF)n x > 2] film by the discharge of fluoride ion. The mechanism of electrofluorination of CH₃CONH₂ or HCONH₂ in this melt is as follows;