Open Access
CC BY 4.0 · SynOpen 2026; 10(01): 58-65
DOI: 10.1055/a-2786-1336
graphical review

Non-Transition-Metal-Mediated Electrochemical Oxidations of Alcohols to Aldehydes and Ketones

Authors


The authors are grateful to the European Innovation Council (EIC) under the Pathfinder programme (project no. 101070788, DualFlow to K.L.), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK Government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee (grant no. 10040978) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) for their support of C.M. and K.L.


Graphical Abstract

Abstract

Given the central role of carbonyl compounds in chemical synthesis, considerable effort has been devoted to developing more sustainable and efficient methods for accessing aldehydes and ketones at both laboratory and industrial scales. In recent years electrochemical oxidations of alcohols have seen increased interest in academic settings as a method for removing the toxic and environmentally damaging reagents, such as transition-metal catalysts, found in classical alcohol oxidations. This graphical review aims to deliver a concise summary of the current synthetic electrochemical methods available and place them in the context of the traditional oxidations they aim to replace.



Publication History

Received: 04 November 2025

Accepted after revision: 12 January 2026

Accepted Manuscript online:
12 January 2026

Article published online:
29 January 2026

© 2026. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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