Electrosynthesis of N-tert-Butyl-2-benzothiazolesulfenamide

Conditions for the production of N-tert-butyl-2-benzothiazolesulfenamide (TBBS) in an oxidative condensation of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole and tert-butylamine are determined. The electrosynthesis occurs during electrolysis of a 4.5–5.0 M NaCl solution containing a water-immiscible organic solvent extracting TBBS. The process efficiency is the highest at the following conditions: a 1 : 8 ratio between 2-mercaptobenzothiazole and tert-butylamine, a DSA, a stainless-steel cathode, a current density of 300 A m–2, and a continuous extraction of TBBS into a 3 : 1 mixture of carbon tetrachloride and acetonitrile. Under these conditions, the TBBS yield is 98–100%, the current efficiency is 74%, the process productivity is 0.9 kg m–2 h–1, and the electricity consumption is 1.9 kW h kg–1. Repeated use of the aqueous phase corrected for the source products jeopardizes neither the process characteristics nor the product quality.