THE ELECTRODESTRUCTION OF 1,2-DIBROMOETHANE BY ANODIC-OXIDATION IN AQUEOUS SURFACTANT SUSPENSIONS IN THE PRESENCE OF BARIUM PEROXIDE

It was shown that electro-oxidation of barium peroxide in aqueous sodium chloride solutions containing cationic surfactants formed a reactive intermediate which led to 89% destruction of 1,2-dibromoethane (DBE) in 1 h under potentiostatic conditions. The 89% destruction was obtained under the following semioptimized conditions: 50 ml of 1.0M sodium chloride, 0.5 g barium peroxide, 2 ml of a 50% solution of dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride (DTAC), 6 mM DBE, 25-degrees-C, 0.9 V, graphite anode, and an initial pH of 5. Galvanostatic experiments (16.6 mA/cm2) using the same experimental conditions caused 86% destruction. The working hypothesis was that the barium peroxide was oxidized to barium superoxide, and the superoxide acted as a nucleophile displacing the halide. The resulting compound was then electrolytically and chemically oxidized. The products of the oxidation were bromide ions and barium carbonate. No oxidation occurred when hydrogen peroxide was used in place of barium peroxide. The surfactant was an aid in suspending the insoluble organic compounds and the barium peroxide. It also helped stabilize the superoxide ion.