Interdigitated microband electrode arrays in paired organic electrosyntheses: Sustainability and practicality

Abstract

Electrochemical synthesis is well established for production of bulk commodities such as copper, aluminium, or ethylene oxide, but electrosynthesis could play an increasingly important role also in a broader range of organic and pharmaceutical syntheses. Electrochemical transformations linked to renewable electricity offer a low-carbon low-waste alternative to traditional chemical reactions (sustainability), although more work is needed to establish processes and reactor technology for easy implementation (practicality). Here, the application of interdigitated microband array electrodes (in conjunction with computational methods) is discussed/contrasted as a tool to (i) avoid the use of added supporting electrolyte, (ii) achieve anode–cathode process pairing, and (iii) allow very simple reactor technology to be introduced compatible with existing chemical reactionware.