Dwindling fossil fuel resources and substantial release of CO2 from their processing have increased the appeal to use biomass as a sustainable platform for synthesis of chemicals and fuels. Steps toward this will require selective upgrading of biomass to suitable intermediates. Traditionally, biomass upgrading has involved thermochemical processes that require excessive amounts of petrochemical-derived H2 and suffer from poor product selectivity. Electrochemical routes have emerged as promising alternatives because of (a) the replacement of petrochemical-derived H2 by protons generated in situ, (b) mild operating temperatures and pressures, and (c) the use of electrode potential to tune reaction rates and product selectivity. In this review, we highlight the advances in the electrocatalytic hydrogenation and oxidation of biomass-derived platform molecules. The effects of important reaction parameters on electrochemical efficiency and catalytic activity/selectivity are thoroughly discussed. We conclude by summarizing current challenges and discussing future research directions.

中文翻译：

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基于生物质的含氧化合物的电化学转化。

化石燃料资源的减少和加工过程中大量释放的二氧化碳增加了将生物质用作合成化学品和燃料的可持续平台的吸引力。为此，需要将生物质选择性提质为合适的中间体。传统上，生物质的升级涉及热化学过程，该过程需要过量的石油化学衍生的H2，并且产品选择性差。电化学途径已成为有前途的替代方法，因为（a）用原位产生的质子代替石油化学衍生的H2，（b）温和的工作温度和压力，以及（c）利用电极电位来调节反应速率和产物选择性。在这篇评论中 我们强调了生物质衍生平台分子在电催化氢化和氧化方面的进展。彻底讨论了重要反应参数对电化学效率和催化活性/选择性的影响。最后，我们总结当前的挑战并讨论未来的研究方向。