ELECTRO-OXIDATIVE DECARBOXYLATION OF D-GLUCONIC ACID TO D-ARABINOSE ON GRAPHITE-ELECTRODES

A voltammetric investigation of the direct electro-oxidative decarboxylation Of D-gluconate ion to D-arabinose on spectroscopic graphite electrode from methanol-water mixtures as well as from aqueous solutions is described. Practically a 100% yield in D-arabinose and an 80% yield in current were realized. The kinetic behavior points to a rate-determining release of the first transferring electron from the gluconate anion to the electrode, followed by a cleavage of the C-1-C-2 bond and by the resulting decarboxylation.