The present invention relates to an electrochemical method for converting an amino acid and/or its salts to an amine and/or a nitrile. The total yield and selectivity of amine and nitrile obtained by the method according to the present invention is higher than prior art when the reaction medium has a high concentration of amino acid and/or its salts at the beginning of the reaction.

There is disclosed a process for synthesis of a C2-8 alkane comprising: (a) providing an electrolyte formulation comprising from about 3N to about 6N C2-C5 carboxylic acid and from about 2 M to about 4 M alkali C2-C5 carboxylate, wherein the C2-C5 carboxylate and carboxylic acid have the same carbon alkyl length into a pressure vessel having an electrode cell or stack; (b) adding electrical current to the electrode cell or stack; (c) pressurizing the pressure vessel; and (d) recovering a gas stream from the pressure vessel comprising a C2-8 alkane, CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2. Preferably, the carboxylic acid is acetic acid and the alkane is ethane.

There is disclosed a process for synthesis of a C2-8 alkane comprising: (a) providing an electrolyte formulation comprising from about 3N to about 6N C2-C5 carboxylic acid and from about 2 M to about 4 M alkali C2-C5 carboxylate, wherein the C2-C5 carboxylate and carboxylic acid have the same carbon alkyl length into a pressure vessel having an electrode cell or stack; (b) adding electrical current to the electrode cell or stack; (c) pressurizing the pressure vessel; and (d) recovering a gas stream from the pressure vessel comprising a C2-8 alkane, CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2. Preferably, the carboxylic acid is acetic acid and the alkane is ethane.

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.

The current disclosure provides alternating current based systems and methods to develop chemical compounds, such as drug molecules using electrochemistry in organic synthesis.

The current disclosure provides alternating current based systems and methods to develop chemical compounds, such as drug molecules using electrochemistry in organic synthesis.

Disclosed is a method for synthesizing a 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.

An abrupt interface electroreduction catalyst includes a porous gas diffusion layer and a catalyst layer providing a sharp reaction interface. The electroreduction catalyst can be used for converting CO.sub.2 into a target product such as ethylene. The porous gas diffusion layer can be hydrophobic and configured for contacting gas-phase CO.sub.2 while the catalyst layer is disposed on and covers a reaction interface side of the porous gas diffusion layer. The catalyst layer has another side contacting an electrolyte and can be hydrophilic, composed a metal such as Cu and is sufficiently thin to prevent diffusion limitations of the reactant in the electrolyte and enhance selectivity for the target product. The electroreduction catalyst can be made by vapor deposition methods and can be used for electrochemical production of ethylene in reaction system.

An abrupt interface electroreduction catalyst includes a porous gas diffusion layer and a catalyst layer providing a sharp reaction interface. The electroreduction catalyst can be used for converting CO.sub.2 into a target product such as ethylene. The porous gas diffusion layer can be hydrophobic and configured for contacting gas-phase CO.sub.2 while the catalyst layer is disposed on and covers a reaction interface side of the porous gas diffusion layer. The catalyst layer has another side contacting an electrolyte and can be hydrophilic, composed a metal such as Cu and is sufficiently thin to prevent diffusion limitations of the reactant in the electrolyte and enhance selectivity for the target product. The electroreduction catalyst can be made by vapor deposition methods and can be used for electrochemical production of ethylene in reaction system.

The current disclosure provides alternating current based systems and methods to develop chemical compounds, such as drug molecules using electrochemistry in organic synthesis.