Study of electrochemical oxidation of catechol in the presence of sulfanilic acid at different pH

Abstract

The electrochemical behavior of catechol in the presence of sulfanilic acid has been examined in aqueous solution with numerous pH values, different electrodes and different concentration of sulfanilic acid, using cyclic voltammetry, controlled potential coulometry and differential pulse voltammetry. The reaction of o-benzoquinone with sulfanilic acid in the second scan of potential was observed. It is assumed that the reaction occurred between the sulfonate group of sulfanilic acid and quinone, rather than between the amino group of sulfanilic acid and quinone. The products derived from the reaction are associated with electrons transfer at more negative potentials than those from catechols. The significance of catechol’s pH in presence of sulfanilic acid was studied by varying pH from 2 to 9. The concentration influence of sulfanilic acid with the fixed concentration of catechol (2 mM) was determined from 2 mM to 12 mM. The reaction was toughly affected by the pH, as well as by the concentration of sulfanilic acid. The reaction was mostly promising in 2 mM of sulfanilic acid and 2 mM of catechol at pH 7.