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Parallel paired electrolysis of industrial exhaust SO2 and diols for value-added sulfite esters synthesis

Nature Synthesis (2026)Cite this article

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Abstract

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a widespread industrial pollutant from fossil fuel combustion and metal smelting that causes serious environmental and health concerns. Converting SO2 into valuable chemicals provides a sustainable solution for emission mitigation and resource use. Here we show a paired electrolysis strategy that directly transforms SO2 into cyclic sulfite esters—high-value organosulfur intermediates widely used in organic synthesis and as precursors for functional materials—under mild conditions. SO2 is reduced at the cathode to elemental sulfur, which then undergoes anodic oxidation and couples with alcohols to form five-membered, six-membered and seven-membered cyclic sulfite esters. Mechanistic studies reveal key sulfur-containing intermediates and elucidate the critical redox pathways. This method efficiently converts even low concentrations of SO2, including simulated industrial flue gas, demonstrating practical applicability. The strategy provides a versatile and environmentally friendly platform for green organosulfur synthesis and pollutant valorization, opening new avenues for sustainable chemical manufacturing.

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Fig. 1: Generation and chemical valorization of SO2.
Fig. 2: Feasibility verification of paired electrolysis for synthesizing sulfite esters.
Fig. 3: Substrates scope.
Fig. 4: Mechanistic study.
Fig. 5: Mechanistic investigations.

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All experimental and spectroscopic data are included in Supplementary Information. Source data are provided with this paper.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (grant nos. 2022YFA1505100 H.Y., 2021YFA1500104 A.L.), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant nos. 22031008 A.L., 22522112 H.Y.), the Hubei Natural Science Foundation (grant no. 2024AFB761 H.Z.), Hubei Technological Innovation Program Funding (grant no. 2025BAB025 H.Y.) and the Science Foundation of Wuhan ((grant no. 2020010601012192 A.L.) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 22201222). We thank the support of the Opening Foundation of Xi’an Modern Chemistry Research Institute (grant no. 204-J-2023-2325). Z.W. thanks the support from the National Key R&D Program of China (grant no. 2023YFF0723100) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 22374110). W.L. gratefully acknowledges the support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 212200007). We also thank the support of the Opening Foundation of Xi’an Modern Chemistry Research Institute (grant number 204-J-2023-2325).

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  1. These authors contributed equally: Jingcheng Hu, Jiayu Hu, Yatao Wang.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences; The Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Wuhan University, Wuhan, P. R. China

    Jingcheng Hu, Jiayu Hu, Yatao Wang, Chen Zeng, Heng Zhang, Zhenwei Wei, Wu Li, Hong Yi & Aiwen Lei

  2. State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, P. R. China

    Aiwen Lei

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Contributions

A.L. supervised the project. Jingcheng H., Jiayu H., Y.W., Z.W., H.Y. and A.L. conceived the idea and designed the experiments. Jingcheng H., Jiayu H., Y.W., C.Z. and H.Z. carried out all the experimental work. Jingcheng H., Jiayu H. and W.L. contributed to data analysis and article editing. Z.W., W.L., H.Y. and A.L. cowrote the paper. All authors discussed the results and assisted during the article preparation.

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Correspondence to Zhenwei Wei, Wu Li, Hong Yi or Aiwen Lei.

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Nature Synthesis thanks Da-Gang Yu and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work. Primary Handling Editor: Alexandra Groves, in collaboration with the Nature Synthesis team.

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Supplementary Figs. 1–21, Tables 1–7 and all experimental and spectroscopic data.

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Optimization data (Fig. 2a); X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy test data (Fig. 2b); X-ray diffraction test data (Fig. 2c) and cyclic voltammetry test data (Fig. 2d).

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Cyclic voltammetry test data (Fig. 4a); cyclic voltammetry test data (Fig. 4b); cyclic voltammetry test data (Fig. 4c) and monitoring of model reaction data (Fig. 4e).

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In situ EC-MS analysis data (Fig. 5a).

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Hu, J., Hu, J., Wang, Y. et al. Parallel paired electrolysis of industrial exhaust SO2 and diols for value-added sulfite esters synthesis. Nat. Synth (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44160-025-00968-4

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