Protocol for photoelectrocatalytic synthesis of aromatic azo compounds from aromatic amines

Photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) strategy has emerged as a promising approach to drive organic reactions under mild conditions. Here, we present a protocol for PEC oxidative coupling of aromatic amines to produce aromatic azo compounds over a porous BiVO4 nanoarray (BiVO4-NA) photoanode. We describe the fabrication of BiVO4-NA photoanode and the detailed steps for the PEC oxidative coupling reaction, including key performance data of the BiVO4-NA photoanode for synthesizing azobenzene from aniline. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Luo et al. (2022).1

Automated summary

Photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) strategy is a promising method for driving organic reactions under mild conditions. In this study, a protocol for PEC oxidative coupling of aromatic amines to produce aromatic azo compounds over a porous BiVO4 nanoarray photoanode is presented. The protocol includes the fabrication of the BiVO4 nanoarray photoanode and detailed steps for the PEC oxidative coupling reaction, with key performance data provided for synthesizing azobenzene from aniline. For a comprehensive understanding of this protocol, please refer to Luo et al. (2022).