Disclosed is a method for synthesizing β-cyano ketone compound, including steps of (1) adding a α-keto acid and sodium hydroxide to a separator-free electrolytic cell, adding acetonitrile thereto, and dissolving the α-keto acid and sodium hydroxide in acetonitrile by stirring to be uniform, to obtain a dissolution solution; (2) adding an alkene or a derivative thereof, cyanobenziodoxolone, and an electrolyte to the dissolution solution, to obtain a mixed solution; (3) subjecting the mixed solution to an electrochemical reaction by electrifying a cathode of a platinum sheet, and an anode of a graphite electrode to obtain a reacted solution; and (4) after the electrochemical reaction, collecting the reacted solution, adding water thereto and stirring to obtain a mixture, subjecting the mixture to an extraction to obtain an organic phase, drying the organic phase and purifying, to obtain the β-cyano ketone compound.

Electrochemical systems and methods for cleaving C—C bonds are disclosed. In performing the method, a reactant adsorption electrical potential, a C—C bond breaking electrical potential, and a desorption electrical potential are sequentially applied to an electrode pair contacting a composition initially containing a target chemical reactant, such as a polymer or alkane. As a result of performing the method, one or more desired chemical products, such as smaller alkane-containing molecules, are released from the electrode into the region between the electrode pairs. The method may be performed at ambient temperatures using renewable electricity.

Electrosynthesis of oxirane can include contacting a halide electrolyte with an anode and cathode respectively located in anodic and cathodic compartments; supplying olefin reactants into the electrolyte in the anodic compartment, such that the anode generates ethylene chlorohydrin; withdrawing a loaded anodic solution comprising ethylene halohydrin from the anodic compartment, and a loaded cathodic solution comprising OH.sup.- ions from the cathodic compartment; and mixing the loaded anodic solution with the loaded cathodic solution under conditions to react ethylene halohydrin with OH- to produce oxirane. The electrocatalyst can include iridium oxide on a titanium substrate, with the iridium oxide provided as nanoparticles on a titanium mesh, and the electrolyte can be aqueous KCl. The electrocatalyst can define an extended heterogenous:homogenous interface with halide ions acting as a reservoir for positive charges, thereby storing and redistributing positive charges to promote selective generation of ethylene halohydrins.

A catalyst-free electrochemical deuteration method using deuterium oxide as a deuterium source, adding an electrolyte, an organic compound containing an ethylenic bond or acetylenic bond, deuterium oxide, and an organic solvent into a reactor, applying a direct current voltage of 4-8 V between electrodes of a carbon felt in an atmosphere of an inert gas for an electrolytic reaction, to obtain a product, and purifying the product to obtain a deuterated product. In the method provided by the present disclosure, with the organic compound containing an ethylenic bond or acetylenic bond as a raw material, deuterium oxide as a deuterium source, cheap and readily available carbon electrode materials as cathodes and anodes, it is possible to obtain deuterated products by a direct current electrolysis in an organic solvent, without any transition metal catalysts.

A catalyst-free electrochemical deuteration method using deuterium oxide as a deuterium source, adding an electrolyte, an organic compound containing an ethylenic bond or acetylenic bond, deuterium oxide, and an organic solvent into a reactor, applying a direct current voltage of 4-8 V between electrodes of a carbon felt in an atmosphere of an inert gas for an electrolytic reaction, to obtain a product, and purifying the product to obtain a deuterated product. In the method provided by the present disclosure, with the organic compound containing an ethylenic bond or acetylenic bond as a raw material, deuterium oxide as a deuterium source, cheap and readily available carbon electrode materials as cathodes and anodes, it is possible to obtain deuterated products by a direct current electrolysis in an organic solvent, without any transition metal catalysts.

A method of making alkenes and/or epoxides from alkanes and hydroxy-alkanes, respectively. In a reactor having an anode and a cathode separated by an ion exchange membrane, and containing a solution comprising water, halogen ions, and an alkane and/or a hydroxy-alkane, apply a potential across the anode and the cathode such that a halogenated intermediate is produced at the anode as an anolyte and hydroxyl ions are produced at the cathode as a catholyte; and combining the anolyte and the catholyte to yield an alkene and/or an epoxide.

A process for the microfluidic electrochemical synthesis of geminal dipseudohalide or halide-pseudohalide compounds comprising the steps of pumping a solution comprising a compound of Formula I

##STR00001## into a microfluidic electrochemical reactor in the presence of a base, one of a halide or pseudohalide salt (MY), and a mediator; applying an electrical current through the microfluidic electrochemical reactor; and performing oxidative addition to create a geminal dipseudohalide or halide-pseudohalide compound of the general Formula II

##STR00002##

A process for the microfluidic electrochemical synthesis of geminal dipseudohalide or halide-pseudohalide compounds comprising the steps of pumping a solution comprising a compound of Formula I

##STR00001## into a microfluidic electrochemical reactor in the presence of a base, one of a halide or pseudohalide salt (MY), and a mediator; applying an electrical current through the microfluidic electrochemical reactor; and performing oxidative addition to create a geminal dipseudohalide or halide-pseudohalide compound of the general Formula II

##STR00002##

A method of making alkenes and/or epoxides from alkanes and hydroxy-alkanes, respectively. In a reactor having an anode and a cathode separated by an ion exchange membrane, and containing a solution comprising water, halogen ions, and an alkane and/or a hydroxy-alkane, apply a potential across the anode and the cathode such that a halogenated intermediate is produced at the anode as an anolyte and hydroxyl ions are produced at the cathode as a catholyte; and combining the anolyte and the catholyte to yield an alkene and/or an epoxide.

A method of making alkenes and/or epoxides from alkanes and hydroxy-alkanes, respectively. In a reactor having an anode and a cathode separated by an ion exchange membrane, and containing a solution comprising water, halogen ions, and an alkane and/or a hydroxy-alkane, apply a potential across the anode and the cathode such that a halogenated intermediate is produced at the anode as an anolyte and hydroxyl ions are produced at the cathode as a catholyte; and combining the anolyte and the catholyte to yield an alkene and/or an epoxide.