Abstract:
In this article, the electrochemical behaviour of vanillin, ethylvanilin, and of their
structural analogues has been studied at the glassy carbon electrode using cyclic
voltammetry. Based on experimental observations and information from literature, the
respective electrode reaction pathways were proposed according to the ECE
mechanisms in all cases, when up to three oxidation products were identified from one
reactant. It has been found that the electrode oxidation of vanillin and ethylvanillin
occurs in one single step, followed by hydrolysis in ortho-position and/or cleavage of
the corresponding alcohol, giving rise to two electrochemically reversible oxidation
products.
