Electrocatalytic hydrogenation of guaiacol in diverse electrolytes using a slurry reactor
Electrocatalytic hydrogenation-hydrogenolysis (ECH) of guaiacol was performed in an H-cell type of slurry reactor configuration with Pt/C catalyst. Different pairs of electrolytes, in catholyte-anolyte combinations, were investigated by constant potential chronocoulometry, showing that the acidic anolyte is preferable for an effective ECH. The advantages of this slurry reactor are mainly attributed to the enhanced Faradaic efficiency and recoverability of the catalyst. High guaiacol conversion (>90%) can be achieved at mild conditions (307 K, 1 atm) in perchloric acid solution (0.5 M), resulting in 54% cyclohexanol selectivity at moderate Faradaic efficiency (53%) and low catalyst loading. This work opens up the possibility of renewable synthesis of valuable chemicals from biomass-derived substrates via electrocatalytic reduction process at mild conditions.