A practical guide to electrosynthesis

Organic electrosynthesis is an old and rich discipline. By exploiting the cheapest and greenest source of electrons, electricity itself, electrolysis has been shown to be a powerful method to perform redox reactions under mild, safe and green conditions. The field is in the midst of a renaissance and there is little doubt that it will become one of the classic methods to activate small organic molecules in the very near future. Nevertheless, electrosynthesis can be rather daunting for a beginner. In this Review, we will guide synthetic chemists through their first organic and organometallic electrosyntheses by reviewing the essential aspects of the field and by sharing practical tips. We will also cover the fundamentals of electroanalytical techniques, such as cyclic voltammetry, since they are powerful methods to investigate mechanisms. Finally, these concepts will be examined in practice through three case studies. The aim of this Review is to guide synthetic chemists through their first electrosyntheses by describing the essential aspects of the field and by sharing practical tips. The fundamentals of electroanalytical techniques are discussed as tools to elucidate mechanism and are then examined in practice using three case studies.