Disclosed is a process for preparing adiponitrile from acrylonitrile in an electrolytic cell. An aqueous electrolyte comprising acrylonitrile converts to adiponitrile in the presence of a solid anode and in the absence of a solid cathode. The cathode comprises gas plasma.

A method for heterocycle catalyzed electrochemical reduction of a carbonyl compound is disclosed. The method generally includes steps (A) to (C). Step (A) may introduce the carbonyl compound into a solution of an electrolyte and a heterocycle catalyst in a divided electrochemical cell. The divided electrochemical cell may include an anode in a first cell compartment and a cathode in a second cell compartment. The cathode generally reduces the carbonyl compound to at least one aldehyde compound. Step (B) may vary which of the aldehyde compounds is produced by adjusting one or more of (i) a cathode material, (ii) the electrolyte, (iii) the heterocycle catalyst, (iv) a pH level and (v) an electrical potential. Step (C) may separate the aldehyde compounds from the solution.

Described herein are methods for the continuous preparation of 1,2-di(furan-2-yl)ethane-1,2-diol from furan-2-carbaldehyde. The methods can proceed chemically or electrochemically. In certain examples, the methods further comprise the application of a static mixer. The present methods produce 1,2-di(furan-2-yl)ethane-1,2-diol in greater yield, purity, chemoselectivity, and stereoselectivity than traditional batch methods.

A system and method for feeding carbon dioxide to a first cathode cavity of a first electrochemical cell, electrochemically reducing the carbon dioxide at a first cathode in the first electrochemical cell to carbon monoxide (CO), flowing the CO from the first cathode cavity to a second cathode cavity of a second electrochemical cell, and forming at least one of ethanol or ethylene from the CO at a second cathode in the second electrochemical cell. The forming of the at least one of ethanol or ethylene from the CO may involve dimerization of the CO at the second cathode to form CO dimer.

A modified electrode, manufacturing method thereof and use thereof are provided. The manufacturing method includes steps of soaking a copper substrate in a solution to obtain a BiOI/copper(I) iodide, BiOI/copper(I) iodide/metallic bismuth, and copper(I) iodide/metallic bismuth composite modified electrodes by electroless plating method. The obtained electrodes, designated as bismuth-based modified electrode, can be used for the electrohydrodimerization of acrylonitrile to synthesize adiponitrile.

The invention relates to a polymer structure (1) formed by at least a polymer, wherein said structure (1) comprises a volume (2) and a surface (3), wherein said polymer comprises a plurality of polymer chains connected by linkings, characterized by a linking density, wherein said linking density increases, particularly monotonously, from the surface (3) into the volume (2) of the polymer structure (1).

A system and method for feeding carbon dioxide to a first cathode cavity of a first electrochemical cell, electrochemically reducing the carbon dioxide at a first cathode in the first electrochemical cell to carbon monoxide (CO), flowing the CO from the first cathode cavity to a second cathode cavity of a second electrochemical cell, and forming at least one of ethanol or ethylene from the CO at a second cathode in the second electrochemical cell. The forming of the at least one of ethanol or ethylene from the CO may involve dimerization of the CO at the second cathode to form CO dimer.

An electrochemical process produces tetraalkyl 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylates having alkyl groups with 1 to 6 carbon atoms. The process employs an electrohydrodimerization of dialkyl maleates having alkyl groups having 1 to 6 carbon atoms in a reactant solution with an alcohol and a conducting salt.