An open-source electrosynthesis platform for reaction screening enables a nickel-catalyzed electroreductive aryl cyanation
- 1Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S3H6
Abstract
The application of electrochemistry to synthetic organic chemistry has resulted in the development of more efficient and sustainable synthesis methodologies. However, the costs and technical burdens of electrochemical instrumentation impose barriers towards the wider adoption of electrochemistry. Herein, we report a modular, open-source platform for electrosynthesis screening built around a low-cost miniaturized potentiostat. The platform supports electrosynthesis and electroanalytic methods, and its open design readily allows for customization. We demonstrate this utility of the platform by the development of a zinc-free, nickel-catalyzed reductive cyanation of aryl bromides with an electrophilic cyanating agent (2-methyl-2-phenylmalononitrile, MPMN). Replacing stoichiometric zinc reductant with a sacrificial tertiary amine allows the cyanation of aryl bromides incompatible with the original zinc-based conditions. In addition, acetonitrile can be used in place of typical hazardous amide solvents. This work provides a blueprint for non-expert practitioners to integrate electrochemistry as an accessible and affordable technique in their research programs.
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BibTeX
@misc{chiu2026opensource,
title = {{An open-source electrosynthesis platform for reaction screening enables a nickel-catalyzed electroreductive aryl cyanation}},
author = {Benjamin S. Y. Chiu and Alexei Kieran and Sophie A. L. Rousseaux},
howpublished = {ChemRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.26434/chemrxiv.15010748/v1},
url = {https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15010748/v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - An open-source electrosynthesis platform for reaction screening enables a nickel-catalyzed electroreductive aryl cyanation
AU - Benjamin S. Y. Chiu
AU - Alexei Kieran
AU - Sophie A. L. Rousseaux
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/21
PB - ChemRxiv
DO - 10.26434/chemrxiv.15010748/v1
UR - https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15010748/v1
AB - The application of electrochemistry to synthetic organic chemistry has resulted in the development of more efficient and sustainable synthesis methodologies. However, the costs and technical burdens of electrochemical instrumentation impose barriers towards the wider adoption of electrochemistry. Herein, we report a modular, open-source platform for electrosynthesis screening built around a low-cost miniaturized potentiostat. The platform supports electrosynthesis and electroanalytic methods, and its open design readily allows for customization. We demonstrate this utility of the platform by the development of a zinc-free, nickel-catalyzed reductive cyanation of aryl bromides with an electrophilic cyanating agent (2-methyl-2-phenylmalononitrile, MPMN). Replacing stoichiometric zinc reductant with a sacrificial tertiary amine allows the cyanation of aryl bromides incompatible with the original zinc-based conditions. In addition, acetonitrile can be used in place of typical hazardous amide solvents. This work provides a blueprint for non-expert practitioners to integrate electrochemistry as an accessible and affordable technique in their research programs.
ER -