• Carbon-based catalysts and supports enable simultaneous organic electro-oxidation and HER, offering a sustainable route for valuable chemical production and clean hydrogen generation.
• The review covers both outer-sphere and inner-sphere electrooxidation mechanisms, providing a mechanistic understanding for catalyst design in acidic and alkaline media.
• Heteroatom-doped carbons and carbon-supported precious metals are highlighted as promising electrocatalysts with enhanced activity and stability compared to conventional Pt/Pd catalysts.
• Future research directions include optimizing electrocatalyst structure-property relationships and scaling up for industrial applications.