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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Electrochemical Synthesis of d,l-Homocysteine Thiolactone Hydrochloride in a Batch Continuous Recirculation Reactor Equipped with Carbon Felt Cathodes:  A Study for the Optimization of the Process

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description

The electrochemical reduction of D,L-homocystine hydrochloride to the corresponding cysteine was performed in a batch continuous recirculation reaction system that was equipped with a FM01-LC electrochemical reactor. Electrolyses were performed under amperostatic conditions, using carbon felt cathodes and DSA anodes divided by Nafion 324 cationic membranes. A simple reactor mathematical model was used to assess the effect of operative parameters (the initial substrate concentration, the reaction temperature, the current density, and the linear velocity of the catholyte) on the performances of the process, with the objective of determining the optimized conditions to perform the electrosyntheses at an industrial scale with limited batch reaction time and costs for the isolation of the product. Thanks to the adoption of the three-dimensional electrode, this process can be considered to be a typical case study in which the utilization of electrochemical technology can afford concrete advantages, with respect to conventional chemical routes.