Electrosynthesis of 3-chloro-4-substituted-coumarins

A facile synthesis of 3-chloro-4-substituted-coumarins (2) was performed in good yield by cathodic reduction of 2-acyl(or aroyl)phenyltrichloroacetate s (1). When 2-acetylphenyldichloroacetate (3) was employed, a mixture of 3- chloro-4-methyl-coumarin (2a) and 4-methyl-coumarin (4) was obtained. The c leavage of the ester was the main reaction when 2-acetylphenylchloroacetate was reduced. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.