STUDIES OF ELECTROREDUCTION OF NITROPENTANE AND NITROHEXANE ON MERCURY-ELECTRODES IN THE PRESENCE OF ADSORBED ALIPHATIC-ALCOHOLS

Electroreduction of 1-nitropentane and 1-nitrohexane was studied on me rcury electrodes in aqueous solutions, together with the inhibitors: n -pentanol, n-hexanol and n-heptanol. The electrode behavior of these s pecies was not Found to be influenced by inhibitors al concentrations lower than 10 mM and 2 mM for n-pentanol and n-hexanol, respectively, because adsorption of nitrocompounds is stronger than that of alcohols . For high alcohol concentrations, when a total surface coverage by in hibitor molecules is almost achieved, the reaction of nitroalkanes is inhibited. Steric factors evaluated using the dependence of rate const ant on inhibitor concentration were used in the determination of the o rientation of reactant molecule on the electrode. For alcohol concentr ations near saturation, the rate constant becomes independent of inhib itor concentration. In this case a reaction of nitroalkanes dissolved in the surface organic phase was postulated.