Localization of electrochemically generated radicals as a function of their structure and the nature of the solvent

Abstract

The electrooxidation of different perfluorocarboxylic acids has been investigated in the presence of ethylene, on electrodes with different adsorbing power [platinum and glassy carbon (GC)] in different solvents. It has been shown that the reaction zone of the ECG radicals is determined by their solubility; depending on this, it can be limited to the electrode surface or encompass the entire volume of the solution. The concept of the solubility of the ECG radicals made it possible to establish some regularities in the formation of cross combination products in the Kolbe electrosynthesis of different perfluorocarboxylic acids.