ELECTROCHEMICAL DECHLORINATION OF 4-CHLOROPHENOL TO PHENOL

We have hypothesized that hydrogen gas intercalated in a palladium lat tice is the powerful reducing agent that reductively dechlorinates chl orinated organic compounds that are adsorbed on the surface of palladi zed electrodes. We have shown that dechlorination of 4-chlorophenol to phenol occurs rapidly on palladized carbon cloth or palladized graphi te electrodes. The reactions on the palladized carbon cloth and graphi te depend on the adsorption of the chlorinated organic compound on the carbon surface and the reaction with hydrogen at the palladium/carbon interface. Palladium was much more effective in promoting the dechlor ination reaction than platinum, probably because of its ability to int ercalate hydrogen in its lattice.