Electrooxidation of cresols on carbon electrodes modified with phthalocyaninato and octabutoxyphthalocyaninato cobalt(II) complexes

Glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) modified with cobalt(II) phthalocyanine (CoPc-GCE) and cobalt(II) octabutoxyphthalocyanine (CoOBuPc-GCE) were employed for the electrochemical analysis of ortho-, meta-, and para-cresols. The oxidation potential of pcresol was shifted towards less positive values to a larger extent, when compared to m- and o-cresols, on CoOBuPc-GCE. However, the GCE was less stable when modified with CoOBuPc than with CoPc. This is explained using the possible differences in the orientation of the adsorbed phthalocyanine molecules on the electrode. Bulk electrolysis of p-cresol at anodic potentials (1.0V versus Ag|AgCl) on carbon electrodes modified with CoPc resulted in the formation of radicals which coupled to form trimeric products. On unmodified carbon electrodes, coupling of the radicals resulted in dimeric products following bulk electrolysis. The products formed following bulk electrolysis were characterized by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry.