CCI Phase I: NSF Synthetic Organic Electrosynthesis Center

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In an equation that represents a step in a chemical reaction, adding or removing a single electron from a molecule might look simple. However, that single electron transfer can be followed by many complicated chemical reactions that occur very quickly. The NSF Synthetic Organic Electrosynthesis Center is developing new ways of making molecules by understanding both the electron transfer process and the subsequent chemical reaction steps. The Center avoids the use of added chemical reagents that are expensive and generate waste by using electrons to promote chemical changes, leading to "greener" and more sustainable methods for organic synthesis. Center researchers also design the tools and instruments that make this approach more useful to other chemists in the greater scientific community. Broader impacts in the development of human resources result from the advanced scientific training offered to graduate students and postdoctoral research associates. The Center also creates outreach materials that introduce electrochemistry through experimentation with batteries, solar cells and electrolysis. Center researchers trained in effective science communication collaborate to share these materials with diverse audiences. The NSF Synthetic Organic Electrosynthesis Center is focused on developing novel electrochemical methodologies for chemical synthesis of organic molecules. This center has three thrusts: 1) design of electrocatalysts and mediators for carbon-hydrogen (C-H) functionalization; 2) translation of cross-coupling reactions to electrosynthesis; and 3) arene functionalization with electrochemical mediators. Research activities have broader impacts in scientific and industrial communities. Oxidation and reductions are still commonly done using large amounts of oxidizing and reducing agents, rather than greener and more efficient electrochemical methodologies. As synthetic organic chemists work toward more sustainable reactions, preparative electrochemical methods may become a natural choice to effect these syntheses due to their high product efficiency, mild conditions, and ease of scalability. The Center provides new electrocatalysts and protocols while developing instrumentation and electrochemical cells for use by the synthetic organic chemists. Broader impacts in the development of human resources result from the advanced scientific training offered to graduate students and postdoctoral research associates. The Center also creates outreach materials that introduce electrochemical techniques through experimentation with batteries, solar cells and electrolysis. Center researchers trained in effective science communication collaborate to share these materials with diverse audiences.