ELECTROCHEMICAL OXYGEN REDUCTION MEDIATED BY COPPER(I) AND IRON(II) COMPLEXES IN CHLORIDE MOIETY - A NEW ROUTE FOR TOLUENE OXIDATION

The potentiostatic reduction of Cu(II) in HCl solutions saturated by O -2 was investigated to determine the competition of redox reactions be tween Cu(I), O-2, and Cl-. Cu(I) reacts with O-2 to form OH radicals, which in turn oxidize Cl- to Cl radicals. When the radical scavenger t oluene is added to the electrolytic environment, benzaldehyde and benz ylchloride are obtained. In Fe(III)/Na4P2O7 solutions saturated by O-2 , OH radicals are produced by the reaction between electrogenerated re agents Fe(II) and H2O2. In the presence of toluene, cresols are the ma in products, largely prevailing over benzaldehyde. The parameters dete rmining the distribution of such products were also investigated.