Diffusional Electrochemical Catalytic (EC’) Mechanism Featuring Chemical Reversibility of Regenerative Reaction-Theoretical Analysis in Cyclic Voltammetry

Abstract

We consider theoretically a specific electrochemical-catalytic mechanism associated with reversible regenerative chemical reaction, under conditions of cyclic staircase voltammetry (CSV). We suppose scenario in which two electrochemically inactive substrates “S” and “Y”, together with initial electrochemically active reactant Ox are present in voltammetric cell from the beginning of the experiment. Substrate “S” selectively reacts with initial electroactive reactant Ox and creates electroactive “product” Red (+ Y) in a reversible chemical fashion. The initial chemical equilibrium determines the amounts of Ox and Red available for electrode transformation at the beginning of the electrochemical experiment. Under conditions of applied potential, the electrode reaction Ox(aq) + ne– ⇋ Red(aq) occurs, producing flow of electric current. Under such circumstances, the chemical reaction coupled to the electrochemical step causes a regeneration of initial electroactive species during the time-frame of current-measuring segment in CSV. The features of cyclic voltammograms get significantly affected by the kinetics and thermodynamics of reversible regenerative reaction. We elaborate several aspects of this specific electrode mechanism, and we focus on the role of parameters related to chemical step to the features of calculated voltammograms. While we provide a specific set of results of this particular mechanism, we propose methods to get access to relevant kinetic and thermodynamic parameters relevant to regenerative chemical reaction. The results elaborated in this work can be valuable in evaluating kinetics of many drug-drug interactions, but they can be relevant to study interactions of many enzyme-substrate systems, as well.