Reactivity of halo sugars on silver cathodes

Our extensive research on the reductive electrochemistry of glycosyl deriva tives has revealed a remarkable electrocatalytic activity of silver cathode s in the reduction of glycosyl halides, which is strictly related to both t he electrode active surface and the reaction medium. The peculiarities exhi bited by silver cathodes have been extensively characterised (i) by reactiv ity studies performed on a wide range of halo sugars by cyclic voltammetry and (ii) by preparative electrolyses leading to the formation of simple and mixed glycosyl dimers and, in the presence of suitable accepters, of glyco sides and glycosyl compounds.