title: Electrochemical degradation of p-substituted phenols of industrial interest on Pt electrodes. Attempt of a structure-reactivity relationship assessment.
abstract: The electrochemical oxidation of p-substituted phenols, with both electron donor (OH- and NH2-) and electron withdrawing groups (NO2-, COOH-, and halogens), on Pt anodes using sodium sulfate as support electrolyte has been studied. It was found that, except for p-halogen phenols, compounds with electron donor substituents are easier to remove and their initial rates of degradation are correlated to the octanol-water partitioning coefficient (log Poct) and the Hammett's constant. Degradation of all of our starting compounds produced the same intermediates, therefore, a general pathway of reaction is proposed. Additionally, the influence of pH, temperature, electrolyte concentration and current density on the initial and total degradation of p-chlorophenol was also investigated.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Institute of Environmental Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ricardo A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Peringer
authors.forename: Cesar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pulgarin
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004563:Electrochemistry; D004566:Electrodes; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007220:Industrial Waste; D007536:Isomerism; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry*; D010984:Platinum / Q000737:chemistry*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D007220:Industrial Waste; D010636:Phenols; D010984:Platinum