Electrochemical co-production of chemicals employing the recycling of a hydrogen halide

1. A method for producing a first product from a first region of an electrochemical cell having a cathode and a second product from a second region of the electrochemical cell having an anode, the method comprising the steps of:

contacting the first region with a catholyte comprising carbon dioxide;

contacting the second region with an anolyte comprising a recycled reactant, wherein the recycled reactant is a hydrogen halide, HX, where X is selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, I, and mixtures thereof;

applying an electrical potential between the anode and the cathode sufficient to produce the first product from the first region and the second product from the second region, wherein the second product is X 2 ;

removing the second product from the second region;

introducing the second product and at least one of an alkane, an alkene or an aromatic compound to a secondary reactor;

producing the recycled reactant through a reaction of the second product and the at least one of an alkane, an alkene or an aromatic compound; and

recycling the recycled reactant produced through the reaction of the second product and the at least one of an alkane, an alkene or an aromatic compound at the secondary reactor to the second region.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

forming a halogenated organic compound in the secondary reactor.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

feeding the halogenated organic compound into a third reactor.

4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:

feeding water into the third reactor.

5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising:

forming an alcohol and HX in the third reactor; and

recycling the HX into the second region.

6. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:

forming HX and at least one of an alkene and an alkyne in the third reactor; and

recycling the HX into the second region.

7. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:

forming HX and at least one of an alcohol, an alkene, an alkyne, an aldehyde, a ketone, an alkane, and mixtures thereof in the third reactor; and

recycling the HX into the second region.

8. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the halogenated organic compound is bromoethane.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein HX is HBr.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the second product is Br 2 .

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the anolyte and catholyte further comprise water, the first product includes acetic acid, and the X 2 is Br 2 .

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the catholyte further comprises a non-aqueous solvent, the first product includes a carboxylic acid, and the X 2 is Br 2 .

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first region and the second region are separated by an ion permeable barrier that operates at a temperature of less than 600 degrees C.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the ion permeable barrier includes one of a polymeric or inorganic ceramic-based ion permeable barrier.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the catholyte is a liquid and the anolyte is a gas.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the catholyte is a liquid and the anolyte is a liquid.

17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said first product includes at least one of carbon monoxide, formic acid, formaldehyde, methanol, methane, oxalate, oxalic acid, glyoxylic acid, glyoxylate, glycolic acid, glyco late, glyoxal, glycolaldehyde, ethylene glycol, acetic acid, acetate, acetaldehyde, ethanol, ethane, ethylene, lactic acid, lactate, propionic acid, propionate, acetone, isopropanol, 1-propanol, 1,2-propylene glycol, propane, propylene, butane, butene, 1-butanol, 2-butanone, 2-butanol, a carboxylic acid, a carboxylate, a ketone, an aldehyde, and an alcohol.

18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the catholyte further comprises a solvent selected from the group consisting of water, methanol, ethanol, acetonitrile, propylene carbonate, ethylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, dimethylsulfoxide, dimethylformamide, acetonitrile, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, N,N-dimethylacetaminde, dimethoxyethane, diethylene glycol dimethyl ester, butyrolnitrile, 1,2-difluorobenzene, γ-butyrolactone, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, sulfolane, 1,4-dioxane, nitrobenzene, nitromethane, acetic anhydride, ionic liquids, and mixtures thereof.