The electrochemical reduction of aliphatic amines protected by the 4- and 3- nitrobenzoyl group in N,N-dimethylformamide was reported. The compounds are reduced in two cathodic steps. The first one at about -1 V vs. SCE occurs with the formation of the rather stable anion radicals, involving one electron transfer . The reduction to dianion occurs at potentials between -1.5 and -2.0 V vs. SCE by an ECE process and leads to cleavage of the CN bond in yields above 50%.
nitrobenzoyl group; cathodic cleavage; aliphatic amines
