The electrochemical coupling of dimethyl maleate, methyl cinnamate, 4-phenyl-3-buten-2- one, or methyl acrylate with dibromomethane, 1, 3-dibromopropane, 1, 4-dibromobutane, or other substituted alkyl dihalides gave satisfactory yields of cyclic products. The reactions were performed in an undivided cell fitted with a sacrificial aluminum anode, in N- methylpyrrolidone (NMP), at constant current, and at room temperature. The role of the ...
[Madder, Annemieke; Sebastian, Sonny; Van Haver, Dirk; De Clercq, Pierre J.; Maskill, Howard Journal of the Chemical Society. Perkin Transactions 2, 1997 , # 12 p. 2787 - 2793]