ABSTRACT
This chapter is focused on the cathodic reduction of carboxylic acids and its derivatives. Included arecarboxylicacids,esters,peresters,lactones,andanhydrides.Becauseofcoveringthecompound classofacylhalidesinChapter25,theacylhalidesareonlybrieŽydiscussed,toputtheminto thecontextofotheracylderivatives.Alsoincludedarethecathodicreductionofamides,lactams, imides,imidates,andhydrazides.SectionVIisfocusedonthereductionofnitriles,butalsoisocyanates, cyanohydrins, and cyanides are included. The chapter closes with a short discussion of sulfuranalogsofcarboxylicacids,especiallythioestersandtheirderivatives.Goodreviewsand compilationofelectrochemicalresearchinthelastcenturyhavebeenpublishedrecently[1-3]. Cathodictransformationofcarboxylicacidsandtheirderivativesarewellknown[4,5],andinthe lastdecadethemechanisticunderstandingabouttheelectrodeprocesseshasbeentremendously improved, which has stimulated more applications [4-13].
