For the purpose of synthesizing some new benzofuran derivatives, the electro-oxidation of N,N,N',N'-Tetramethyl-benzene-1,4-diamine (1a) was accomplished in the presence of barbituric acids as nucleophiles in an aqueous phosphate buffer solution. The results show that electrogenerated quinone-imine (2a), participate in the reaction with barbiturics via the ECEC mechanism to construct the corresponding benzofuran derivatives (7a-b). The electro-synthesis of these compounds (7a-b) was performed profitably in an aqueous solution at carbon rod electrodes, without using any catalyst or toxic solvent and the products were finally produced in good yields and purity.
