Use of an electrochemical method in the synthesis of anesthesin from p-nitrotoluene

We report here the use of an electrochemical method to simplify and reduce the number of stages in the chemical synthesis of Anesthesin (the ethyl ester of p-aminobenzoic acid) from p-nitrotoluene. Methods for electrolysis and product extraction are described. The yields per unit current of the intermediate product p-nitrobenzoic acid and the end product Anesthesin on graphite electrodes increased with increases in the starting substance concentrations, and yields were 98% and 99% respectively in 0.4-M solutions.