Reaction of Hydroxide Ion with Electron Acceptors in Dimethyl Sulfoxide

Abstract

In dimethyl sulfoxide, the reaction of hydroxide ion with several electron acceptors—iodine, tetracyanoquinodimethan, Nitro Blue Tetrazolium chloride, 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride, anthraquinone, and benzophenone—gave reaction products identical to those obtained by the reaction of these electron acceptors with electron donors. The reaction pathways of these electron acceptors were found to be composed of successive one-electron reactions similar to the electrochemical reduction of these electron acceptors. These results indicate that hydroxide ion acts as a reductant in dimethyl sulfoxide.