ELECTROCATALYTIC OXIDATION OF D-SORBITOL ON PLATINUM IN ACID-MEDIUM -ANALYSIS OF THE REACTION-PRODUCTS

The electrocatalytic oxidation of D-sorbitol has been studied on polyc rystalline platinum in 0.1 M HClO4. Prolonged electrolyses were carrie d out using a three potential plateau program with different values of the oxidation potentials. Chromatographic analyses showed that D-sorb itol was transformed into gluconic acid via the formation of glucose. Glucuronic acid and some degradation side products were also detected. When increasing the applied potential, the degradation of the initial molecule skeleton became more and more important. Moreover, a reactio n mechanism for the electrooxidation of D-sorbitol was proposed and it was demonstrated that the consumption of D-sorbitol followed a first- order reaction law. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.