Electrochemical Oxidative Decarboxylation of Malonic Acid Derivatives: A Method for the Synthesis of Ketals and Ketones.

A novel electrochemical oxidative decarboxylation of disubstituted malonic acids leading to dimethoxy ketals is described. In the presence of NH3, a wide range of disubstituted malonic acids was transformed into the corresponding ketals in good to excellent yields under electrochemical conditions. When the crude reaction mixture, obtained after electrolysis, was directly treated with 1 M aq HCl, the initially generated ketals were smoothly transformed into the corresponding ketones in a single vessel operation.