Oxidative Degradation of Phenols by Contact Glow Discharge Electrolysis

Abstract

Contact glow discharge electrolysis of phenols in a phosphate buffer solution was investigated、ln contrast with the conventional anodic electrolysis，phenohc compounds underwent the oxidative degradation and eventually converted to carbon dioxide。From the variation of product dis亡ribu亡董on with the reaction time，it was supposed that the oxldation would involve the consecutive steps as follows：1)hydroxylation of benzene ring；2)oxidative ringcleavage；3)oxidationofcarboxyhcacidstoinorganiccarbon・Onthegrounds・f kinetlcs，was proposed the scheme that hydroxyl radical should be the most important reactive speciesandits attackon the startingmaterialsooulddeterminethe rateofoverall reactions，