Abstract
The electrochemistry of benzidine and hydrazobenzene was studied in water-acetonitrile mixed solutions at various pHs and the results are reported. The cyclic voltammetric peak for the oxidation of benzidine shows a pH dependency of -62 mV/pH in the pH range of 0-3.5, no pH dependency between pH values of 3.5 and about 10.5, and of about -50 mV/pH between pH=10.50 and 14.0, indicating that oxidation mechanisms differ depending on the pH of the medium. However, the CV peak for the hydrazobenzene oxidation is shown to be independent of pH of the medium, suggesting that the proton is not involved in the rate limiting step of the electrochemical oxidation of hydrazobenzene to azobenzene. Results of in situ spectroelectrochemical experiments indicate that the oxidation products obtained during the oxidation of benzidine and hydrazobenzene depend on the result of dynamic equilibria taking place at various pHs.