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Potential-mediated enol-keto equilibrium in phenol electro-hydrogenation on platinum

Qing-Yang Liu1, Chong-Hui Jiang1, Zhen Yao2

  • 1Department of Chemistry and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Catalytic Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.

Nature Communications
|July 14, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Electrocatalytic hydrogenation of phenol selectively forms cyclohexanone by shifting the enol-keto equilibrium via cathodic potentials. This surface-mediated charge transfer and stabilization of cyclohexanone prevents further hydrogenation, controlling product selectivity.

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