Electrosynthesis of amino acids from biomass-derivable acids on titanium dioxide

Seven amino acids were electrochemically synthesized from biomass-derivable α-keto acids and NH2OH with faradaic efficiencies (FEs) of 77–99% using an earth-abundant TiO2 catalyst. Furthermore, we newly constructed a flow-type electrochemical reactor, named a “polymer electrolyte amino acid electrosynthesis cell”, and achieved continuous production of alanine with an FE of 77%.