Coupling CO2 Electroreduction to CO with alkyne Alkoxycarbonylation

The alkyne alkoxycarbonylation to α- or β-substituted acrylates was coupled with the electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 to CO. The CO-enriched gaseous mixture produced from the electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 was collected and directly used in the alkyne alkoxycarbonylation. The CO content was found to be critical to the process of carbonylation, and satisfying results were attained by using the gas mixture containing >15 vol % CO. This method offered an efficient but simple CO source from CO2 electroreduction to the alkoxycarbonylation reaction in two-compartment manner.