Green synthesis of C3 metal alkoxides: First evidence of isopropanol dissociation in bipolar membranes

Metal alkoxides are widely applied in organic synthesis because of their solubility and volatility. However, conventional synthetic methods suffer from safety risks, harsh conditions, and low efficiency. This study reported the first evidence of isopropanol dissociation in a bipolar membrane and developed a green electrosynthesis route for lithium isopropoxide by taking advantage of isopropanol dissociation in bipolar membranes. We find that the threshold dissociation voltage of isopropanol was 53.4 V, which is significantly higher than that of water and C 1 /C 2 alcohols because of its low dielectric constant. To overcome high solution resistance, various electrolytes have been screened, with tetraethylammonium chloride resulting in an 88 % reduction in stack resistance. Under the optimized current of 6 mA·cm −2 with the BP-A configuration, lithium isopropoxide was synthesized with an energy consumption of 213 kWh·kg −1 and a current efficiency of 67 %. The product was characterized via FTIR and solid-state 7 L i NMR, confirming the successful formation of lithium isopropoxide. The technoeconomic analysis demonstrated that the bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BMED) process offers a cost-effective and energy-efficient alternative to traditional methods, with a production cost of $51.35/kg, which is significantly lower than that of the traditional synthesis route. This study expands the application of BMED in C 3 alcohols and offers theoretical and technical foundations for scalable and green production of metal alkoxides via alcohol dissociation.