Fuel cell type reactor and method for producing a chemical compound by using the same

A method for producing a chemical compound by performing an oxidation reaction, which comprises:

• providing a fuel cell reactor comprising:
• a casing,
• an anode which comprises an anode active material and which is ion-conductive or active species-conductive,
• a cathode which comprises a cathode active material and which is ion-conductive or active species-conductive, and
• an ion-conductive diaphragm,
• wherein said anode and said cathode are disposed in spaced relationship in said casing to partition the inside of said casing into an intermediate compartment between said anode and said cathode, an anode compartment on the outside of said anode and a cathode compartment on the outside of said cathode,
• wherein said ion-conductive diaphragm is disposed in said intermediate compartment to partition the intermediate compartment into an anode-side electrolyte solution compartment and a cathode-side electrolyte solution compartment which are, respectively, positioned between said anode and said diaphragm and between said cathode and said diaphragm, and
• wherein said cathode-side electrolyte solution compartment has an inlet for an electrolyte solution and a substrate, and said anode-side electrolyte solution compartment optionally has an inlet for an electrolyte solution,
• said anode compartment having an inlet for a reductant,
• said cathode compartment having an inlet for an oxidant, and
• said anode and said cathode being connected to each other through an electron-conductive material in the outside of said casing,
• wherein, when said anode-side electrolyte solution compartment has no inlet for an electrolyte solution, the reactor is provided in such a condition that the anode-side electrolyte solution compartment contains an electrolyte solution, and
• performing the following steps (1′) to (4′) in either order, or simultaneously with respect to at least two steps thereof,
• (1′) introducing an electrolyte solution to said anode-side electrolyte solution compartment, provided that when said anode-side electrolyte solution compartment has no inlet for an electrolyte solution, step (1′) is omitted,
• (2′) introducing an electrolyte solution and a substrate to said cathode-side electrolyte solution compartment,
• (3′) introducing a reductant to said anode compartment, and
• (4′) introducing an oxidant to said cathode compartment, thereby producing a chemical compound from said substrate, said reductant and said oxidant in said cathode-side electrolyte solution compartment.