Pulsed electrosynthesis orthogonally optimizes C‒N coupling and hydrogenation for amine production with a molecular catalyst

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Authors: Shuai Yan, Yang Wang, Shuai Chen, Jost Heise, Morgan McKee, Chen Gao, Xiaodong Li, Nikolay Kornienko
Cited by: 3
References: 52

Abstract

and nitrate offers a sustainable route to organic amines but suffers from a kinetic mismatch between C-N coupling and hydrogenation steps under static conditions. This mismatch is challenging to address through conventional catalyst design and therefore limits both efficiency and selectivity. Here, we introduce a pulsed strategy that orthogonally decouples these steps by alternating optimized potentials. Pulses at less reductive potentials suppress hydrogenation and thus favor oxime formation, whereas more reductive potentials promote hydrogenation to amines. Using cobalt phthalocyanines, this approach triples the reaction rate and doubles the selectivity for methylamine compared to static methods, and also enables the formation of higher amines. In situ studies and density functional theory calculations reveal that a more reductive pulse accelerates hydrogenation, promoting a multielectron cascade through intermediates. Retrosynthetic analysis and product distribution trends further support a sequential coupling-hydrogenation pathway from methylhydroxylamine/methylamine to higher amines. This work offers a framework for steering multistep C-N bond formation and shows how dynamic electrochemistry can turn waste-derived carbon and nitrogen into valuable products.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts Radical Photochemical Reactions

Publication details

Journal / source
Nature Communications
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Volume
17
Issue
1
Publication date
4 May 2026
Language
EN