Bismuth-based electrocatalytic scheme enabling efficient and selective electrosynthesis of 4-aminophenol in acidic media.

A highly efficient electrocatalytic platform based on formed metallic bismuth submicron crystals (Bi) was developed for 4-aminophenol electrosynthesis the electrochemical reduction of 4-nitrophenol at acidic pH. The facile formation and high reactivity of Bi enable efficient electrosynthesis of 4-aminophenol with high selectivity (∼100%) at the expense of an ultra-low overpotential.