Acta Phys. -Chim. Sin. ›› 2012, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (02): 421-426.doi: 10.3866/PKU.WHXB201112122

• ELECTROCHEMISTRY AND NEW ENERGY • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Electrochemical Oxidation of p-Methoxy Toluene in BMIMBF4 Ionic Liquid

ZHU Ying-Hong, ZENG Hong-Yan, LI Shan-Shan, LU Zai-Xiang, MA Chun-An   

  1. State Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry Synthesis Technology, College of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032, P. R. China
  • Received:2011-10-08 Revised:2011-12-02 Published:2012-01-11
  • Contact: MA Chun-An E-mail:science@zjut.edu.cn
  • Supported by:

    The project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21076192) and Key Innovation Group of Zhejiang Province, China (2009R50002).

Abstract: The electrochemical oxidation behavior of p-methoxy toluene was studied in an ionic liquid of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIMBF4) on platinum electrode by cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CP), and in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (in-situ FTIRS). The results showed that the electrochemical oxidation of p-methoxy toluene in BMIMBF4 was irreversible. The four-electron process was controlled by diffusion, and the diffusion coefficient D was 3.4×10-7 cm2·s-1. The main oxidation product was anisaldehyde. A proper amount of water and a suitable temperature were favorable for the anisaldehyde.

Key words: Electrooxidation, p-Methoxy toluene, Anisaldehyde, Ionic liquid, In situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy