Electrochemical bromochlorination of peracetylated glycals

Peracetylated glycals—3,4,5-tri-O-acetyl-d-glucal (1a), 3,4,5-tri-O-acetyl-d-galactal (1b) and 3,4-di-O-acetyl-6-deoxy-l-glucal (1c)—have been bromochlorinated by a suitable halogenating agent, generated electrochemically from a mixture of bromides and chlorides in dichloromethane. The reaction was performed in two ways: (i) by a constant current electrolysis (2 F mol⁻¹) of bromides and substrates in a milieu containing an excess of chlorides (Br^?/1/Cl^? = 1:1:6.8) and (ii) by anodic generation of free chlorine from chlorides (2 F mol⁻¹) and subsequent addition of bromides and substrates in a ratio Br^?/1 = 1:1. The corresponding 2-bromo-2-deoxy-glycopyranosyl chlorides were obtained in high yields.