Abstract
The electrochemical reaction at the insulator is extraordinary. Despite its counterintuitiveness, it is made possible by using a silicon oxide dielectric electrode as the cathode. In this study, we use such a dielectric electrode to enable a version of electroorganic reaction. Interestingly, the oxidized products are produced at the cathode in the case of anthracene and its derivatives. Besides, normal reduction also occurred in the case of nitrobenzene. We suggest the electrochemically generated hydrogen species, supposedly the hydrogen atom, is responsible for this phenomenon. This is the first case to use such a reagent in the mild electrochemical system, and this reaction may be applied to a synthetic strategy for organic molecules.
The faradaic reaction at the insulator is counterintuitive. For this reason, electroorganic reactions at the dielectric layer have been scarcely investigated despite their interesting aspects and opportunities. In particular, the cathodic reaction at a silicon oxide surface under a negative potential bias remains unexplored. In this study, we utilize defective 200-nm-thick n+-Si/SiO2 as a dielectric electrode for electrolysis in an H-type divided cell to demonstrate the cathodic electroorganic reaction of anthracene and its derivatives. Intriguingly, the oxidized products are generated at the cathode. The experiments under various conditions provide consistent evidence supporting that the electrochemically generated hydrogen species, supposedly the hydrogen atom, is responsible for this phenomenon. The electrogenerated hydrogen species at the dielectric layer suggests a synthetic strategy for organic molecules.
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