Effects of trifluoroethanol as a co-solvent on the electrochemical oxidation of hardly oxidizable organic compounds

2,2,2-Trifluoroethanol was found to be a suitable co-solvent for the electrochemical oxidation of organic compounds such as cyclic ethers, γ-butyrolactone derivatives, primary alcohols, and toluenes substituted with electron-withdrawing groups, all of which were resistant toward oxidation in methanol. The oxidation products could be utilized as worthwhile synthetic intermediates.