Electrocatalytic hydrogenation of muconic acid
Various embodiments disclosed relate to electrocatalytic hydrogenation of muconic acid and polymers formed from the reaction products thereof. In various embodiments, the present invention provides an electrocatalytic method to prepare 3-hexene-1,6-dioic acid, 2-hexene-1,6-dioic acid, adipic acid, or a combination thereof, from muconic acid. The method includes passing current through a catalytic cathode in a reactor including an aqueous acidic solution including muconic acid, a supporting electrolyte, and an anode, so as to generate atomic hydrogen on the cathode surface in an amount effective to hydrogenate the muconic acid to yield a product including 3-hexene-1,6-dioic acid, 2-hexene-1,6-dioic acid, adipic acid, or a mixture thereof. Also disclosed is the polymerization of 3-hexene-1,6-dioic acid, 2-hexene-1,6-dioic acid, or a combination thereof with another compound, such as a diamine or a dialcohol, to form a polymer, such as a polyamide or a polyester.