Cheap and readily available photovoltaic cells have been used to conduct electrochemical oxidation reactions by Kevin D Moeller and co-workers from the Washington University in St Louis.
Oxidation reactions are among the most powerful tools available to synthetic chemists because they increase the level of functionality in a molecule. This study demonstrates that the energy efficiency of sunlight-driven reactions can be combined with the versatility of electrochemistry to create new, sustainable methods for conducting oxidation reactions.
Interested in knowing more? Read the full article here.
Connecting the dots: using sunlight to drive electrochemical oxidations
Laura A. Anderson, Alison Redden and Kevin D. Moeller
Green Chem., 2011, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C1GC15207F