Reductive dehalogenation of 1,3-dichloropropane by a [Ni(tetramethylcyclam)]Br2-Nafion® modified electrode

Dechlorination reaction of 1,3-dichloropropane, a contaminant solvent, was investigated by electrochemical reduction in aqueous medium using a Ni(tmc)Br2 complex, known as effective catalyst in dehalogenation reactions. The catalytic activity of the complex was first investigated by cyclic voltammetry and flow homogeneous redox catalysis using a graphite felt as working electrode. A total degradation of 1,3-dichloropropane was obtained after 5 h of electrolysis with a substrate/catalyst ratio of 2.3. The concentration of chloride ions determined by ion chromatography analysis showed a dechlorination yield of 98%. The complex was then immobilized on the graphite felt electrode in a Nafion® film. Flow heterogeneous catalytic reduction of 1,3-dichloropropane was then carried out with the [Ni(tmc)]Br2-modified Nafion® electrode. GC analyses underlined the total degradation of the substrate in only 3.5 h with a substrate/catalyst ratio of 100. A dechlorination yield of 80% was obtained, as seen with ion chromatography analyses of chloride ion. Comparison of both homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions highlighted the interest of the [Ni(tmc)]Br2-modified Nafion® electrode that led to a higher stability of the catalyst with a turnover number of 180 and a higher current efficiency.