Electrochemical Oxidation of Compounds Containing 1,4-Dihydropyridine and Pyridinium Rings — Analogs of Gene Transfection Agents

A study was carried out on the electrochemical oxidation of 1,4-dihydropyridines, found as substituents in pyridinium salts, which are strong electron acceptors. The potentials for their oxidation in acetonitrile were determined. NMR spectroscopy was used to find the relative acidity of the N–H and C–H protons and the oxidation potentials were determined for the anionic products of the ionization of the N–H bond in dihydropyridine. The only product of the preparative electrolysis, in contrast to chemical oxidation, is the corresponding pyridine, namely, the oxidized dihydropyridine form.