Scalable carbon dioxide electroreduction coupled to carbonylation chemistry

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Organic Synthesis
• Catalysis

Background:

• Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) to carbon monoxide (CO) is crucial for producing valuable chemical feedstocks.
• Existing research focuses on the electrocatalytic step, with limited exploration for scalable carbonylation applications.
• Carbonylation reactions are vital for synthesizing bulk and fine chemicals, including pharmaceuticals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and implement an inexpensive, user-friendly electrochemical setup for performing Pd-catalyzed carbonylation reactions.
• To couple CO2 electroreduction with carbonylation chemistry for efficient synthesis of complex organic molecules.
• To demonstrate the scalability of this integrated process for pharmaceutical compound production.

Main Methods:

• Development of a two-chamber electrochemical cell for CO2 reduction and subsequent carbonylation.
• Utilized palladium (Pd) catalysis for various carbonylation reactions, including amino-, alkoxycarbonylations, and carbonylative couplings.
• Employed near-stoichiometric amounts of CO generated in situ from CO2 electroreduction.

Main Results:

• Successfully performed Pd-catalyzed carbonylative Sonogashira and Suzuki couplings, along with amino- and alkoxycarbonylations.
• Achieved milligram to gram scale synthesis of pharmaceutically relevant compounds.
• Demonstrated the adaptability of the system for using atmospheric CO2.

Conclusions:

• The developed electrochemical setup provides a scalable and user-friendly platform for CO2 valorization through carbonylation.
• This integrated approach offers a sustainable route for synthesizing valuable chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
• The technology's ability to utilize atmospheric CO2 highlights its potential for green chemistry applications.