Both sides matter: anode configurations alter the activity of electrolyzers for organic hydrogenations

Abstract

Electrifying the chemical industry is a key step towards the generation of green and sustainable chemical products. Electrochemical hydrogenations have gained a central role in this effort, generating important synthons in compact and modular zero-gap electrolyzers. Despite the significant achievements in recent years, clear guidelines to improve the efficiency and selectivity of zero-gap electrolyzers are still missing. Herein, by means of the hydrogenation of 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol (MBY), we present a holistic investigation for understanding the role of the anode porous transport layer and employed membrane on the efficiency of a zero-gap electrolyzer. Alongside, we provide a series of optimization steps, demonstrating that ECH electrolyzers can efficiently operate electrochemical hydrogenations at IrO₂ loadings below 1 mg cm⁻². We believe our results provide a crucial step towards accelerating the establishment of electrochemical methods in the chemical industry.