Electrochemical deacetylation of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds

Mild deacetylation of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds was achieved by halonium-ion mediated electrolysis. In this reaction, the supporting electrolyte including sodium halide NaX (X = Cl or Br) was essential since the reaction proceeded through substitution by a halonium ion, generated electrochemically at anode, on active methine carbons followed by base-catalyzed deacetylation, and was terminated by reductive dehalogenation of the formed alpha-halo carbonyl compounds at cathode.