Selective Electrochemical Dehalogenation of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid in MeCN at Room Temperature.

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (commercial pesticide 2,4-D) can be dechlorinated by electrochemical reduction at different carbon materials under mild conditions to give phenoxyacetic acid with 80% selectivity at 75% conversion of 2,4-D (current efficiency 10∼14%).