Electrochemical conversion of organic compounds and inorganic small molecules

Electrochemical synthesis presents a facile and sustainable strategy to produce valuable molecules. This review summarizes the most recent advances in electrosynthesizing value-added compounds with inorganic small molecules. While “small molecules” refers to a broad spectrum of chemicals, we mainly focus on the electrochemical conversion of CO₂, H₂O/D₂O, NH₃ and SO₂ until March 2024. This review intends to compare the results and display general trends throughout the field, with an emphasis on the substrate scope and mechanical aspect. Furthermore, we propose several techniques and protocols that can enable a more fundamental understanding of the electrochemical reaction involving inorganic small molecules and help drive this methodology toward commercialization.