Peculiarities of electroreduction of trans-2-allyl-6-methyl(allyl,phenyl)-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridines

Electrochemical reduction of trans-2-allyl-6-R-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridines (R = Me, All, and Ph) on the mercury cathode in anhydrous DMF (with 0.1 M Bu4NClO4 as the supporting electrolyte) resulted in catalytic hydrogen evolution, while in the case of anhydrous DMF the electrochemical activity of the endocyclic double bond was dictated by the nature of the R substituent at the carbon atom neighboring the double bond. The electrocatalytic hydrogenation of the piperideines under study on the Ni (Nidisp/Ni) cathode in 40% aqueous DMF in the presence of a tenfold excess of AcOH yielded the corresponding trans-2-propyl-6-R1-piperidines (R1 = Me, Pr, and Ph). Using trans-2,6-diallyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine as an example, the conditions (with annealed copper as the cathode) for selective hydrogenation of the double bonds in allyl substituents with preservation of the endocyclic double bond were found.