Advances in catalyst design for electrocatalytic epoxidation of olefins

The olefins epoxidation is a crucial industrial process that yields high-value chemicals. However, conventional thermo-catalytic olefin epoxidation typically results in high energy consumption and carbon emissions. With the advent of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, using electricity instead of burning fossil fuels presents a more environmentally friendly and low-carbon alternative. Recent research has increasingly focused on synthesizing epoxides using moderate electrocatalytic techniques. This review discusses the direct electroepoxidation of olefins using water and O2 as oxygen sources, as well as the indirect electro-epoxidation of olefins mediated by halides and peroxides. We place emphasis on the design strategies of catalysts and the corresponding structure-activity relationship in different systems, and further illustrate improvement in electrolysis systems based on advanced catalyst materials. By comparing the applications and performances of electrocatalysts in different systems, we provide prospects for further research in the design of electrode materials and electrolysis systems.