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A Cosolvent Electrolyte Boosting Electrochemical Alkynol Semihydrogenation
Yuan Zhao1,2, Jia Wang3, Xingzhou Zha1
1Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|January 2, 2025
Summary
A novel dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-water electrolyte boosts alkenol selectivity in electrocatalytic alkynol semihydrogenation using copper catalysts. This sustainable approach enhances green electricity-driven chemical synthesis for industrial applications.
Area of Science:
- Green chemistry and catalysis
- Electrochemical synthesis
- Sustainable chemical production
Background:
- Electrocatalytic alkynol semihydrogenation offers a sustainable alternative to thermocatalysis for alkenol production.
- Electrolyte composition significantly influences catalyst performance in semihydrogenation reactions.
- Optimizing electrolytes for industrial catalysts remains an underexplored strategy for electrosynthesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel electrolyte system for enhancing alkenol selectivity in electrocatalytic alkynol semihydrogenation.
- To investigate the impact of a dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-water cosolvent electrolyte on copper catalysts.
- To demonstrate the industrial applicability and scalability of the developed electrolyte strategy.
Main Methods:
- Electrosynthesis of alkynols using copper catalysts in a DMSO-water cosolvent electrolyte.
- Comparison of performance with DMSO-free electrolytes across various current densities.
- Mechanistic studies involving hydrogen-bond interactions and surface species analysis.
- Testing the electrolyte with commercial catalysts and diverse alkynols.
- Scale-up demonstration using an industrial-scale electrolyzer stack.
Main Results:
- The DMSO-water electrolyte significantly increased alkenol selectivity from 60-70% to over 90% at ~100% alkynol conversion.
- A slight decrease in reaction rate was observed due to inhibited water dissociation.
- Mechanistic studies indicated that suppressed water dissociation and reduced hydrogen coverage favor alkenol production.
- The selectivity enhancement was consistent across commercial copper catalysts and various alkynols.
- A scaled-up electrolyzer achieved ~96% conversion and ~95% selectivity.
Conclusions:
- A DMSO-water cosolvent electrolyte is effective in promoting high alkenol selectivity during electrocatalytic alkynol semihydrogenation.
- The electrolyte strategy enhances the performance of industrial copper catalysts for sustainable alkenol electrosynthesis.
- This work provides a viable pathway for the industrial-scale, green production of alkenols.
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