Xh. Qi et Rp. Baldwin, SELECTIVE OXIDATION OF THIOLS TO DISULFIDES AT POLYMERIC COBALT PHTHALOCYANINE CHEMICALLY-MODIFIED ELECTRODES, Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 143(4), 1996, pp. 1283-1287
Cysteine, glutathione, and several other aliphatic and aromatic thiols
were exhaustively oxidized at chemically modified reticulated vitreou
s carbon containing a polymer coating of cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPC).
Coulometric measurements indicated that, for all thiols examined, the
electro-oxidation was a one-electron process. Subsequent end product
analysis by high performance liquid chromatography, polarimetry, and C
-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry confirmed that, for cystei
ne and glutathione, the corresponding disulfide species were formed ve
ry cleanly with no evidence of further oxidation to the sulfinic or su
lfonic acid. The polymeric CoPC electrodes were compatible with a wide
range of solvent and pH conditions. Unlike most conventional electrod
es, which are rapidly passivated upon attempted oxidation of organosul
fur compounds, the CoPC electrodes were extraordinarily durable, exhib
iting turnover numbers of greater than 10(4) for each Co2+ center with
little or no loss of activity.