Electrocatalytic synthesis of C–N coupling compounds from CO₂ and nitrogenous species

Abstract

The electrocatalytic synthesis of C–N coupling compounds from CO₂ and nitrogenous species not only offers an effective avenue to achieve carbon neutrality and reduce environmental pollution, but also establishes a route to synthesize valuable chemicals, such as urea, amide, and amine. This innovative approach expands the application range and product categories beyond simple carbonaceous species in electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction, which is becoming a rapidly advancing field. This review summarizes the research progress in electrocatalytic urea synthesis, using N₂, NO₂⁻, and NO₃⁻ as nitrogenous species, and explores emerging trends in the electrosynthesis of amide and amine from CO₂ and nitrogen species. Additionally, the future opportunities in this field are highlighted, including electrosynthesis of amino acids and other compounds containing C–N bonds, anodic C–N coupling reactions beyond water oxidation, and the catalytic mechanism of corresponding reactions. This critical review also captures the insights aimed at accelerating the development of electrochemical C–N coupling reactions, confirming the superiority of this electrochemical method over the traditional techniques.

Keywords

C–N coupling / CO ₂ reduction / electrocatalysis / nitrogenous species / reaction mechanism

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