Investigation of phenol electrooxidation in aprotic non-aqueous solvents by using cyclic and normal pulse voltammetry

Electrooxidation of phenol was studied on platinum electrode in five aprotic non-aqueous solvents (acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethyl formamide, acetone, and tetrahydrofuran) with cyclic and normal pulse voltammetry. The cyclic voltammetric results showed that fouling of the electrode surface by the polyphenol took place continuously in dimethyl formamide and a weak passivation of the electrode could be observed in dimethyl sulfoxide. From this solvent, a coherent and mechanically removable, weakly adsorbed layer could be obtained. In the other three solvents, the electrode passivated completely after five scans. Diffusion barrier properties of the polymer formed in acetone were the most pronounced of all solvents towards a redox probe. Normal pulse voltammetric investigations showed that the extent of electrode passivation is insignificant in three of the solvents used. It was due to the application of the short anodic potential pulses where the oxidation of phenol occurred and the formed oligomers diffused into the bulk of solution.