Advances in electrochemical hydroxylation reactions: mechanistic understanding and synthetic opportunities

Electrochemical hydroxylation reactions have provided new insights into reaction diversity and mechanistic pathways. These reactions, essential for functionalizing hydrocarbons, exhibit impressive selectivity and efficiency under mild conditions. Various catalytic systems, including transition-metal-free and metal-based catalysts, electro-photocatalytic methods, and electrochemical continuous flow methods, have been developed to enhance reactivity and overcome challenges such as C-H activation. Mechanistic studies reveal intricate electron transfer and radical intermediates, offering a deeper understanding of reaction dynamics. This review highlights developments over the past five years in electrochemical alkyl and aryl hydroxylation, focusing on the diversity of reactions, and the key mechanistic insights driving these transformations.