Aerobic oxidation reactions are critical to the upgrading of fine and commodity chemicals. For many non-volatile substrates, these reactions are best carried out in the condensed phase. Unlike for gas-solid interfaces, at all solid–liquid interfaces, the exchange of ions and/or electrons with the solution can lead to electrostatic charging of the interface. However, the role of these charge transfer reactions is poorly understood in the context of aerobic oxidation catalysis. We have developed general methods for tracking the degree of interfacial polarization during turnover and have used this approach to understand aerobic oxidation catalysis from an electrochemical perspective. We have found that many net thermochemical oxidation reactions proceed as coupled electrochemical half reactions and that the degree of interfacial polarization tunes the energy landscape of catalysis. These findings providing new opportunities to design aerobic oxidation catalysis by applying the principles of electrochemistry.

An electrochemical perspective on thermal aerobic oxidation catalysis

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ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.