Collect. Czech. Chem. Commun. 1999, 64, 1100-1110
https://doi.org/10.1135/cccc19991100

Electrochemical Oxidation of Probucol in Anhydrous Acetonitrile

Karel Nesměráka,*, Ivan Němeca, Martin Štíchab, Jiří Gabrielc and Valentin Mirceskid

a Department of Analytical Chemistry, Charles University, Albertov 2030, 128 40 Prague 2, Czech Republic
b Department of Organic Chemistry, Charles University, Albertov 2030, 128 40 Prague 2, Czech Republic
c Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague 4, Czech Republic
d Faculty of Natural Science and Mathematics, University of St. Cyril and Methodius, P.O. Box 162, Skopje, Macedonia

Abstract

Electrochemical oxidation of probucol in anhydrous acetonitrile was studied as a model of the metabolic oxidation of the substance. The study was performed by DC voltammetry, potentiostatic coulometry, cyclic voltammetry and preparative electrolysis. Probucol gives a single anodic wave E1/2 = 0.92 V. Cyclic voltammetry showes that its electrooxidation proceeds by formation of probucol radical. 2,6-Di-tert-butyl-4-(isopropylsulfanyl)phenol, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-sulfanylphenol, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol and 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol were isolated as products of electrochemical oxidation.

Keywords: Metabolic oxidation; Radicals; Probucol; Voltammetry; Potentiostatic coulometry; Preparative electrolysis; Electrochemistry.