A Versatile Electrochemical Batch Reactor for Synthetic Organic and Inorganic Transformations and Analytical Electrochemistry

A standardized and versatile electrochemical batch reactor that has wide applicability in both organic and inorganic synthesis and analytical electrochemistry has been developed. A variety of synthetic electrochemical transformations have been performed to showcase the versatility and demonstrate the reactor, including the synthesis of five Cu(I)–NHC complexes, two Au(I)–NHC complexes, and one Fe(II)–NHC complex as well as an Fe(III)–salen complex. The reactor is based on a commercially available vial with an adapted lid, making it inexpensive and highly flexible. It features a fixed interelectrode distance, which is crucial for reproducibility, along with the ability to accommodate a variety of interchangeable electrode materials. The reactor has also been used in conjunction with a parallel plate, allowing rapid screening and optimization of an organic electrochemical transformation. Cyclic voltammetry has been performed within the reactor on a range of imidazolium salt analytes with the use of an external potentiostat. The ability to use this reactor for both analytical and synthetic organic and inorganic chemistry is enabled by a flexible and characterizable design.