Abstract
The electrochemical reduction of dimethyl maleate (DMM) and dimethyl fumarate (DMF) in acetonitrile and methanol solutions has been investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV), rotating ring-disk electrode voltammetry (RRDE) and in situ FT-IR spectroelectrochemistry. In both solvents, the electrochemically generated radical anion of DMM under goes both a rapid cis–trans isomerisation process forming the dimethyl fumarate radical anion (DMF·−) and a rapid radical anion dimerisation reaction. The radical anion dimerisation of these species is rapid with second order rate constants of ≈1×107 mol dm−3 s−1. An autocatalytic electron cross-exchange reaction between the DMF·− species and DMM results in DMF and DMM·− consequently leading to a rapid build-up of the trans isomer in solution.
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