Pulsed-electrolysis-induced Bi-Bi2O3 transformation switches the reaction pathway for enhanced cyclohexanone oxime production
摘要
Cyclohexanone oxime (CHO) is a pivotal feedstock for plastic manufacturing. However, conventional synthetic routes are fraught with high explosion risks, harsh reaction conditions, and expensive catalysts. Herein, we introduce an electrocatalytic approach to CHO synthesis via the reductive coupling of cyclohexanone (CYC) with nitrite using commercially available Bi2O3 as the catalyst. The method includes a two-stage pulsed electrolysis, where the first stage involves the preparation of amorphous Bi2O3, and CHO is produced (a Faradaic efficiency of 74.63% and a yield rate of 0.156 mmol h−1 cm−2) from the reaction of CYC and NH2OH on stable Bi2O3 during the second stage. Experiments and theoretical calculations on the electrocatalytic nitrite reduction suggest that instead of the *NOH→*N pathway to form NH3, the formation of NH2OH via the hydrogenation of * NOH is favored on amorphous Bi2O3. This work offers a sustainable and efficient alternative to conventional CHO synthesis methods.