Alkynols semi-hydrogenation is a critical industrial process as the product, alkenols, have extensive applications in chemistry and life sciences. However, this class of reactions is plagued by the use of high-pressure hydrogen, Pd-based catalysts, and low efficiency of the contemporary thermocatalytic process. Here, we report an electrocatalytic approach for selectively hydrogenating alkynols to alkenols under ambient conditions. For representative 2-methyl-3-butene-2-ol, Cu nanoarrays derived electrochemically from CuO, achieve a high partial current density of 750 mA cm⁻² and specific selectivity of 97% at −0.88 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode in alkaline solution. Even in a large two-electrode flow electrolyser, the Cu nanoarrays deliver a single-pass alkynol conversion of 93% with continuous production of 2-methyl-3-butene-2-ol at a rate of ~169 g g_Cu⁻¹ h⁻¹. Theoretical and in situ electrochemical infrared investigations reveal that the semi-hydrogenation performance is enhanced by exothermic alkynol adsorption and alkenol desorption on the Cu surfaces. Furthermore, this electrocatalytic semi-hydrogenation strategy is shown to be applicable to a variety of alkynol substrates.

炔醇半氢化是一个关键的工业过程，因为产物烯醇在化学和生命科学中具有广泛的应用。然而，这类反应受到高压氢气、钯基催化剂的使用以及当代热催化过程效率低下的困扰。在这里，我们报告了一种在环境条件下将炔醇选择性氢化为烯醇的电催化方法。^{对于代表性的 2-methyl-3-butene-2-ol，从 CuO 电化学衍生的 Cu 纳米阵列，实现了 750 mA cm - 2}的高分电流密度在-0.88 V 与碱性溶液中的可逆氢电极相比，特定选择性为 97%。_{即使在大型双电极流动电解槽中，Cu 纳米阵列也能以 ~169 gg Cu} ^{− 1} h ⁻的速率连续生产 2-methyl-3-butene-2-ol，实现 93% 的单程炔醇转化率¹ . 理论和原位电化学红外研究表明，半氢化性能通过 Cu 表面的放热炔醇吸附和烯醇解吸得到增强。此外，这种电催化半氢化策略被证明适用于多种炔醇底物。