Dr. Darryl Nater - Scalable Electrosynthesis

In the “Scalable Electrosynthesis” team, we work on the development of electro-organic processes and reactors, thus providing fundamental understanding on the influences of reactors on electrosynthetic reactions, while also providing a basis for broader application of electrosynthesis.

Development and Scaling of Electrosynthetic Processes

One of our research lines is the identification and exploration of novel electrochemical transformations. We are particularly interested in scaling those reactions after their initial development, thus providing tools for general synthetic chemists to use electrosynthesis themselves.

See: 

• JACS Au 2024, 4 (6), 2188-2196. DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.4c00156.
• Mol. Catal. 2024, 554, 113823. DOI: 10.1016/j.mcat.2024.113823.
• Org. Process Res. Dev. 2025, DOI: 10.1021/acs.oprd.5c00234

New Screening and Optimization Protocols for Electrosynthesis

When optimizing electrochemical reactions, both traditional chemical parameters (such as temperature and concentration) and electrochemical parameters (such as current density and charge) need to be investigated. This results in a parameter space that is both large and complex. In order to efficiently navigate this space, we are harnessing AI-based tools and advanced optimization algorithms to find the shortest path from an initial hit on a new electrosynthetic process to an optimized reaction.

See: 

• ChemElectroChem 2024, 11 (18), e202400360. DOI: 10.1002/celc.202400360.
• ChemElectroChem 2021, 8 (14), 2621-2629. DOI: 10.1002/celc.202100318.

Design of Novel Reactors for Electro-Organic Reactions

Electro-organic reactions involve working with two spatially separated areas (the cathode and anode) where highly reactive species are generated. How these two areas interact is largely determined by the employed reactor geometry. As part of our efforts to understand the interaction of reactivity and reactor geometry, we are designing and testing novel reactors for electro-organic transformations.