The oxidation of organic compounds at a nickel anode in alkaline solution

The oxidation of a range of organic compounds at a nickel anode in aqueous alkaline solution has been studied and the conversion of primary alcohols, secondary alcohols and primary amines to carboxylic acids, ketones and nitriles respectively have been shown to be efficient processes. most of these organic compounds oxidise at the same potential, the potential at which the surface of the nickel anode itself becomes oxidised. The kinetics for these anodic oxidations have been studied and a mechanism has been proposed to explain the behaviour observed.