Highly selective electrochemical hydrogenation of acetylene to ethylene at Ag and Cu cathodes

Electrochemical hydrogenation of acetylene to ethylene has been achieved at Ag and Cu, which show good electrocatalytic activities and afford high yields and conversions > 95%. Besides Ag and Cu, also Pt, Ni and GC have been tested but none of them possess any catalytic activity. The reaction was carried out at ambient temperature and pressure in N,N-dimethylformamide, a solvent commonly employed for removing acetylene from ethylene at industrial level. The presence of H2O enhances the catalytic activity of both electrodes, improving also the ethylene yield.