Electrochemically activated CO2 reacts, under mild conditions, with primary and secondary alcohols bearing a leaving group at the alpha-position affording the corresponding cyclic carbonates in high yields; unsubstituted alcohols are converted, after addition of EtI, into the corresponding unsymmetrical ethyl carbonates in moderate to good yields. Tertiary alcohols and phenols are stable to the reagent. (C) 1997 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.