Application of an electrochemical pulsed flow reactor to electroorganic synthesis Part II : Oxidation of cyclohexanol and pilot plant operation

Abstract

A pilot plant electrolyser was built, which, in design, was similar to an industrial reactor used for metal recovery from waste waters. Increased mass transport rates were achieved by applying a pulse to the reactor solution. The first reaction tested on this new cell was the indirect oxidation of cyclohexanol in aqueous solution by means of an iodinated intermediate species. Several electrochemical methods, such as cyclic and linear sweep voltammetry and chronoamperometry, were used for the study of the reacting system. The results from these analyses have allowed optimization of the reactor operating conditions. A mathematical model for the process has been established which predicts the reactor yield and conversion as a function of the main operating parameters.