Electrocarboxylation of CO_(2) with Organic Substrates:Toward Cathodic Reaction

Electrocarboxylation of carbon dioxide(CO_(2))using organic substrates has emerged as a promising method for the sustainable synthesis of value-added carboxylic acids due to its renewable energy source and mild reaction conditions.The reactivity and product selectivity of electrocarboxylation are highly dependent on the cathodic behavior,involving a sequence of electron transfers and chemical reactions.Hence,it is necessary to understand the cathodic reaction mechanisms for optimizing reaction performance and product distribution.In this work,a review of recent advancements in the electrocarboxylation of CO_(2)with organic substrates based on different cathodic reaction pathways is presented to provide a reference for the development of novel methodologies of CO_(2)electrocarboxylation.Herein,cathodic reactions are particularly classified into two categories based on the initial electron carriers(i.e.,CO_(2)radical anion and substrate radical anion).Furthermore,three cathodic pathways(ENE(N),ENED,and EDEN)of substrate radical anion-induced electrocarboxylation are discussed,which differ in their electron transfer sequence,substrate dissociation,and nucleophilic reaction,to highlight their implications on reactivity and product selectivity.