The Longer Route can be Better: Electrosynthesis in Extended Path Flow Cells

This personal account provides an overview of work conducted in my research group, and through collaborations with other chemists engineers, to develop flow electrolysis cells apply these organic electrosynthesis. First, a brief summary training background synthesis is provided, leading the start electrosynthesis lab collaboration Derek Pletcher. Our on development extended path reactors described from synthetic chemist's perspective, including laboratory scale-up give several moles anodic methoxylation product one day. The importance cell design emphasised regards achieving good performance productivities hundreds mg h−1 many g h−1, at high conversion selective fashion. A simple recycle that can be readily constructed small University workshop also discussed, modifications improve performance. Some examples electrosyntheses are Shono-type oxidation, cleavage protecting groups, Hofer-Moest reaction cubane carboxylic acids, oxidative esterification amidation aldehydes, reduction aryl halides.