ELECTROSYNTHESIS OF TETRAZOLYLACETIC ACID

Regularities governing the oxidation of 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)tetrazole on a nickel hydroxide anode in an aqueous NaOH solution are studied. The optimum conditions for producing tetrazolylacetic acid while still ob taining high yields of the target product (greater than or equal to 87 %) are found; these are: c(alc) = 0.5-0.75 M, c(NaOH) = 1 M, T = 25 de grees C, and j(anode) = 16 mA cm(-2). The presence of the chloride ion in 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)tetrazole is shown to cause rapid destruction of the Ni anode. The oxidation of 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)tetrazole by Ni(OH)( 3) that has been electrochemically generated in an aqueous solution is explored. The yield of the target product is found to depend on the d uration and temperature of the reaction, reaching 85% under optimum co nditions (tau = 5 h, T = 30 degrees C).