Electrogenerative oxidation of model alcohols at packed bed anodes

The electrogenerative oxidation of dissolved ethanol and 2-propanol in aqueous 1 to 3 M sulphuric acid electrolyte was investigated at several types of packed bed anodes in ion exchange membrane separated cells. The operation of these electrogenerative cells which incorporated a platinum-catalysed commercial oxygen gas-diffusion-type cathode is described. It appears that for dissolved normal primary alcohols composite Teflon-platinum fuel-cell-type electrodes favour aldehyde formation while ‘platinum on graphite’ electrodes favour carboxylic acid formation. Oxidation of dissolved 2-propanol could be controlled to give acetone exclusively.