Indirect Electrooxidation of Organic Substrates by Hydrogen Peroxide Generated in an Oxygen Gas-Diffusion Electrode

Indirect electrooxidation of phenol, formaldehyde, and maleic acid in cells with and without a cation-exchange membrane, with a platinum anode and a gas-diffusion carbon black cathode, which generates hydrogen peroxide from molecular oxygen, proceeds with high efficiency and various oxidation depths, which depend on the intermediate nature: the process involving HO2- occurs selectively and yields target products, while the formation of HO2· and HO· leads to the destruction of organic compounds to CO2 and H2O.