Direct Electrochemical Synthesis of Metal Complexes

The electrolytic oxidation of a metal anode in a solvent containing the ligand of interest is a single-step process for the synthesis of metal complexes. This method allows the formation of both coordination complexes and organometallic compounds. The direct electrochemical synthesis of metal complexes is a simple technique, often carried out at room temperature, which allows us to choose from a variety of ligands. The electrolytic oxidation of the metal avoids the use of oxidizing agents; therefore there are no species that could compete with the ligand to coordinate with the metal ion. The electrosynthesis can be kinetically controlled by adjusting the intensity of the current through the cell, if the reduced metal ions are generated slowly.