Electrochemical oxidations: Part IV. Electrochemical investigations into the behaviour of 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)-phenol part 1. Phenol and the species derived from it: Phenoxy radical,phenolate anion and phenoxenium cation

The anodic oxidation of 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)phenol (IIa) was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The stable products resulting from the oxidation are phenoxenium cation (IId) (which itself is reduced in two one-electron steps to the phenolate anion (IIc) via the phenoxy radical, IIb) and the “protonated phenol (III) (which is oxidized to (IId) in a second peak at higher potential). A mechanism for the electrochemical oxidation of phenol (IIa) is suggested.