La. Khanova et al., ELECTROCHEMICAL-BEHAVIOR OF MERCAPTO-N-BENZOXAZOLE AND ITS DIMER ON METAL-ELECTRODES, Russian journal of electrochemistry, 29(9), 1993, pp. 952-955
We showed that strong adsorption of mercapto-N-benzoxazole (MB) and it
s dimer (DMB) involves adsorption of a radical-ion RS., which causes v
ery strong bonding to the electrode. During polarization, the adsorpti
on layer undergoes restructuring at negative potentials and this produ
ces a novel redox reaction with E = 0.25 V. It may be suggested that t
he heterocycle is subject to destruction at such potentials, and a com
plex of mercury ions forms. This product increases the overvoltage for
hydrogen evolution. MB causes the cathodic current of hydrogen evolut
ion, whereas DMB is the source of MB generation (MB is the product of
DMB reduction). Therefore, the catalytic current of hydrogen evolution
is also observed in the presence of DMB.