Spectroelectrochemical study of the oxidation of aminophenols on platinum electrode in acid medium

The electrochemical oxidation of para-, meta- and ortho-aminophenols was carried out using a platinum electrode in aqueous acid medium. The spectroscopic results indicate that p-aminophenol suffers hydrolysis giving the formation of hydroquinone/p-benzoquinone. CO2 has been detected by in situ FTIR spectroscopy as the main soluble oxidation product. The m-aminophenol oxidation produces a blocking polymeric film on the platinum surface. The main oxidation products detected by in situ infrared spectroscopy were CO2 and quinone. Cyclic voltammetry and in situ FTIR spectroscopy were combined to study the redox processes of the conducting polymer obtained in the o-aminophenol oxidation. The spectroscopic results indicate that phenoxazine units are produced during the oxidation/reduction of poly(o-aminophenol).