Electrochemical Behavior of Nitrobenzene in Aqueous CTAB

A mechanistic study of the electroreduction of nitrobenzene was undertaken following previously reported voltammetric investigations of nitrobenzene reduction on bare and dioctadecyldimethylammonium chloride (DODAC) covered platinum electrode [1]. The electrochemical reduction of nitrobenzene in aqueous micellar solution of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) at platinum electrode using cyclic voltammetry revealed two distinct cathodic and anodic peaks with interpeak separation of about 60-65 mV indicating a reversible/quasi-reversible charge transfer reaction pertaining to one electron couple of ArNO₂/ArNO₂^.- as reported in literature [2-6]. Additional interpretation of experimental cyclic voltammogram was done by using digital simulation. Diffusion co-efficient values of nitrobenzene calculated using Randle-Sevcik equation were found close to the reported values [5-6].

References

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(3)  Ernst, S.; Ward, K. R; Norman, S. E.; Hardacre, C.; Compton, R. G.  Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2013, 15, 6382-6389.

(4)  Jara-Ulloa, P.; Nunez-Vergara, L. J.; Squella, J. A. Electroanal. 2007, 19, 1490-1495.

(5)  Smith, W. H.; Bard, A. J. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1975, 97, 5203-5210.

(6)  Kaifer, A. E.; Bard, A. J. J. Phys. Chem., 1985, 89, 4876-4880.