Electrocatalytic carboxylation of chloroacetonitrile at a silver cathode for the synthesis of cyanoacetic acid

The electrocatalytic carboxylation of chloroacetonitrile to cyanoacetic acid performed at silver cathodes was investigated both theoretically and experimentally. Silver exhibits powerful electrocatalytic activities towards the reduction of chloroacetonitrile. In CO2-saturated CH3CN, reduction of NCCH2Cl occurs at potentials that are about 0.7 V more positive than those observed at glassy carbon and gives cyanoacetic acid in good yields. Theoretical considerations on the effect of operative parameters on the performances of the process were confirmed by electrocarboxylation experiments performed in undivided cells equipped with sacrificial anodes both in a bench-scale electrochemical batch reactor and in a continuous batch recirculation reaction system equipped with a parallel plate electrochemical cell. Selectivities and Faradic efficiencies higher than 80% were obtained by working under anhydrous conditions both under amperostatic and potentiostatic alimentation at proper values of either current density or applied potential.