Cathodic Reduction Pathways of Haloaromatics

Abstract
All of the monohalogenated nitrobenzenes have been studied in nonaqueous media using various electrochemical and spectroscopic methods. A mechanism involving halide elimination and hydrogen atom abstraction from the solvent to form nitrobenzene was verified by deuteration experiments employing electron paramagnetic resonance measurements. In addition to formation of nitrobenzene, azoxybenzenes and nitrobiphenyls could be generated under different experimental conditions. Possible electrosynthesis studies are also proposed based on these data.