Beyond conventional organic electrosynthesis: the role of fluorinated solvents

Organic electrosynthesis has emerged as a unique platform for chemical manufacturing owing to not only the use of electricity as a green reagent, but especially, to its distinct reactivity. While conventional solvents are sought to remain inert and solely provide a liquid environment for the electrochemical process to occur, fluorinated alcohol solvents have been shown to redefine this concept. In fact, the singular properties of these solvents allow them to actively interact with the substrates and reaction intermediates driving dramatic changes in the chemo- and regio-selectivity as well as on the reaction yields. Given the rapid permeation of these solvents in the burgeoning field of electro-organic synthesis, this mini-review strives to provide a concise but up-to-date critical revision for the growing community of scientist working at the interface of synthetic chemistry and electrochemistry. Here, the main electrosynthetic transformations where they have been exploited besides their key role at activating certain reaction pathways will be highlighted. Finally, a forward-looking perspective on the more practical evolution and implementation of these systems will be discussed.