Electrifying C–N Bond Formation: Inorganic Nitrogen Reduction as a Route to Sustainable Amino Acid Synthesis

Abstract Electrochemical C–N bond formation driven by inorganic nitrogen reduction has recently emerged as a promising strategy for sustainable amino acid synthesis and remediation of nitrogen-containing pollutants. Beyond enabling greener access to functionalized organonitrogen compounds, these reactions provide a controllable platform for coupling reactive nitrogen intermediates with CO2– or biomass-derived carbonyl compounds. Despite rapid advances in this area, a comprehensive, mechanism-centered perspective encompassing the full spectrum of reductive inorganic nitrogen species, including nitrate, nitrite, nitric oxide, hydroxylamine, ammonia, and dinitrogen, and their integration with carbonyl substrates for amino acid synthesis remains lacking. In this Focus Review, we consolidate emerging mechanistic insights, identify the key advantages and limitations of each nitrogen pathway, assess the maturity of the corresponding reaction routes, extract transferable mechanistic insights and design principles, and outline actionable strategies for advancing selective amino acid electrosynthesis.