The interface is a tunable dimension in electricity‐driven organic synthesis

Abstract Predictive control over the selectivity outcome of an organic synthetic method is an essential hallmark of reaction success. Electricity‐driven synthesis offers a reemerging approach to facilitate the design of reaction sequences toward increased molecular complexity. In addition to the des...

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Main Authors: Anna Wuttig, Francisco Dean Toste
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley-VCH 2021-10-01
Series:Natural Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ntls.20210036
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author Anna Wuttig
Francisco Dean Toste
author_facet Anna Wuttig
Francisco Dean Toste
author_sort Anna Wuttig
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Predictive control over the selectivity outcome of an organic synthetic method is an essential hallmark of reaction success. Electricity‐driven synthesis offers a reemerging approach to facilitate the design of reaction sequences toward increased molecular complexity. In addition to the desirable sustainability features of electroorganic processes, the inherent interfacial nature of electrochemical systems present unique opportunities to tune reaction selectivity. To illustrate this feature, we outline examples of mechanism‐guided interfacial control over CO2 electroreduction selectivity; a well‐studied and instructive electrochemical process with multiple reduction products that are thermodynamically accessible. These studies reveal how controlled proton delivery to the electrode surface and substrate electrosorption with the electrode dictate reaction selectivity. We describe and compare simple, yet salient, examples from the electroorganic literature, where we postulate that similar effects predominate the observed reactivity. This perspective highlights how the interface serves as a tunable dimension in electrochemical processes and delineates unique tools to study, manipulate, and achieve reaction selectivity in electricity‐driven organic synthesis. KEY POINTS Electricity‐driven synthesis enables chemical and industrial communities to contribute to sustainability goals. Electricity‐driven processes occur at phase boundaries, thus unveiling their molecular‐level roadmaps involves the synergistic study of materials, interfacial, and molecular science. Bridging concepts that transcend the topical nature of two electricity‐driven processes—CO2 reduction and electroorganic synthesis—reveals tools to manipulate reaction selectivity.
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spelling doaj.art-3c7223f72a1444a2ba2b9ba237972ef92022-12-21T18:12:21ZengWiley-VCHNatural Sciences2698-62482021-10-0112n/an/a10.1002/ntls.20210036The interface is a tunable dimension in electricity‐driven organic synthesisAnna Wuttig0Francisco Dean Toste1Department of Chemistry University of Chicago Chicago Illinois USADepartment of Chemistry University of California Berkeley California USAAbstract Predictive control over the selectivity outcome of an organic synthetic method is an essential hallmark of reaction success. Electricity‐driven synthesis offers a reemerging approach to facilitate the design of reaction sequences toward increased molecular complexity. In addition to the desirable sustainability features of electroorganic processes, the inherent interfacial nature of electrochemical systems present unique opportunities to tune reaction selectivity. To illustrate this feature, we outline examples of mechanism‐guided interfacial control over CO2 electroreduction selectivity; a well‐studied and instructive electrochemical process with multiple reduction products that are thermodynamically accessible. These studies reveal how controlled proton delivery to the electrode surface and substrate electrosorption with the electrode dictate reaction selectivity. We describe and compare simple, yet salient, examples from the electroorganic literature, where we postulate that similar effects predominate the observed reactivity. This perspective highlights how the interface serves as a tunable dimension in electrochemical processes and delineates unique tools to study, manipulate, and achieve reaction selectivity in electricity‐driven organic synthesis. KEY POINTS Electricity‐driven synthesis enables chemical and industrial communities to contribute to sustainability goals. Electricity‐driven processes occur at phase boundaries, thus unveiling their molecular‐level roadmaps involves the synergistic study of materials, interfacial, and molecular science. Bridging concepts that transcend the topical nature of two electricity‐driven processes—CO2 reduction and electroorganic synthesis—reveals tools to manipulate reaction selectivity.https://doi.org/10.1002/ntls.20210036carbon dioxide reductionconcentration gradientselectrosorptionelectrosynthesisinterfacial scienceorganic electrochemistry
spellingShingle Anna Wuttig
Francisco Dean Toste
The interface is a tunable dimension in electricity‐driven organic synthesis
Natural Sciences
carbon dioxide reduction
concentration gradients
electrosorption
electrosynthesis
interfacial science
organic electrochemistry
title The interface is a tunable dimension in electricity‐driven organic synthesis
title_full The interface is a tunable dimension in electricity‐driven organic synthesis
title_fullStr The interface is a tunable dimension in electricity‐driven organic synthesis
title_full_unstemmed The interface is a tunable dimension in electricity‐driven organic synthesis
title_short The interface is a tunable dimension in electricity‐driven organic synthesis
title_sort interface is a tunable dimension in electricity driven organic synthesis
topic carbon dioxide reduction
concentration gradients
electrosorption
electrosynthesis
interfacial science
organic electrochemistry
url https://doi.org/10.1002/ntls.20210036
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