THE ELECTROLYSIS OF SOME ORGANIC COMPOUNDS WITH ALTERNATING CURRENT

Abstract

The a-c. electrolysis of a number of organic compounds was carried out in order to ascertain what products might be obtained, what electrolytic conditions affected the nature and the yield of products, and to discover the general relations governing oxidation and reduction when a.c. is used. Oxidation was found to predominate over reduction, owing, probably, to the relatively low hydrogen overvoltage on the electrodes. The effect of varying the conditions of a-c. electrolysis was in general similar to that observed in d-c. electrolysis. Satisfactory yields were obtained only when a product of an irreversible process was concerned. A good yield of quinhydrone from the a-c. electrolysis of hydroquinone was secured at a relatively high current density. The chlorination of acetone by the a-c. electrolysis of a solution of acetic anhydride in hydrochloric acid gave a current yield of 35% at a current density of 2 amp. per cm2.