Sreesaila Sreekumar, Joshua A. Beeler, Diptangshu Datta Mal, Henry S. White, Long Luo
Published: July 20, 2025
DOI: 10.1021/jacs.5c08873
JACS
In this work, we focus on understanding the fundamental principles of AC (alternating current) electrochemical reactions, an area that remains underdeveloped despite the growing significance of AC electrolysis in synthetic chemistry. Through a case study involving two consecutive, irreversible electrochemical steps with differing kinetics, we demonstrate that AC electrolysis can enhance reaction yields compared to conventional DC methods. This improvement is achieved through carefully designed fast voltametric studies and complementary control experiments. The experimental results are further validated using finite element simulations. The general rule of thumb established in this study can be applied to similar reaction systems to identify optimized AC conditions for improved yield and selectivity toward desired products.