Alkali Metal Cations Impact the Selectivity of Radical-Mediated Electrochemical C─H Chlorination.

ABSTRACT: Electrochemistry offers a promising route toward facilitating organic transformation reactions in a sustainable manner. However, there are often a multitude of factors at play; hence, it can be unclear how operating conditions can be rationally tuned to optimize selectivity. Here, we demonstrate how the identity of alkali metal cations in the electrolyte can control the selectivity of electrochemical C─H chlorination. Specifically, we obtained a 90.3% Faradaic efficiency with KCl as compared to 78.4% with LiCl for the conversion of cyclohexane to chlorocyclohexane at 1000 mA using an IrO_x electrode. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy experiments indicate a greater propensity for Cl^- oxidation to generate Cl radicals in the order: K⁺ > Na⁺

SUBMITTER: Wu B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12402841 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature