Electroreduction of aliphatic chlorides at silver cathodes in water

The effect of water on the reduction of aliphatic chlorides at silver cathodes was investigated by cyclovoltammetric experiments in acetonitrile, water and their mixture and focused electrolyses in water solutions. The addition of water to acetonitrile gives rise to the formation of new peaks and/or the displacement of pre-existent peaks at dramatically less negative potentials. In a water medium, silver shows a very large electrocatalytic effect towards the reduction of chlorinated aliphatic compounds belonging to the classes of chloromethanes, chloroethanes and chloroethenes, dramatically higher than that observed in aprotic solvents such as dimethylformamide (DMF) or acetonitrile (ACN). …