Electrochemical reductive acylation of astacene; a route to the carotenoid astaxanthin

Abstract
Controlled potential electrolysis of astacene (2) gives, in the presence of acetic anhydride, either 2e or 4e reduction depending upon the potential and the solvent-supporting electrolyte system, a new retro-tetra-acetate (7) resulting from 2e reduction; by 4e reduction, astaxanthin tetra-acetate (5) is obtained which may be hydrolysed to astaxanthin (1).

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: