Electrooxidation of mesoerythritol on platinum modified or not by adatoms in acid medium

The electrocatalytic oxidation of meso-erythritol has been studied in 0.1 M HClO4 on platinum and on adatoms modified platinum. Preliminary investigat ions by cyclic voltammetry showed that erythritol was not reactive on a Pt electrode. Underpotential deposition of lead or thallium adatoms at platinu m allowed to increase significantly the current densities. Long-time electr olyses were carried out using a three potential plateau program with differ ent values of the oxidation potentials. Chromatographic analyses showed tha t the oxidation of erythritol led mainly to erythrose, erythrulose and to e rythronic acid. Otherwise, electrolysis of erythritol on a Pt-Tl modified e lectrode orientated selectively the distribution of the reaction products t owards the formation of erythrulose.