Oxidation of 4-Isopropyltropolone Using a Dropping Mercury Electrode

Abstract

The polarogram of 4-isopropyltropolone (Hhi) using a dropping mercury electrode was observed and analysed. The first anodic wave was attributed to the adsorption wave, and the second wave was concluded to result in the electrode oxidation of the π-electron system accompanied by a follow-up chemical reaction; the formal potential corresponding to the following reaction was calculated to O.29 V vs. SCE,
Hhi →Ox^(n-1) + H⁺+ ne (n≤6) (1)
where Ox^(n-1) represents the oxidized form of 4-isopropyltropolone. In contrast with a dropping mercury electrode, the anodic wave of 4-isopropyltropolone obtained at a platinum electrode was resulted by the one-electron oxidation process accompanied by a follow-up chemical reaction.