ChemInform Abstract: ELECTROCHEMICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF INTERMEDIATES IN ELECTROREDUCTION OF AROMATIC NITRO AND NITROSO COMPOUNDS IN N,N-DIMETHYLFORMAMIDE PART 2, ELECTROCHEMICAL BEHAVIOUR OF NITROSOBENZENE

Summary A mechanism for the electroreduction of nitrosobenzene in DMF is proposed. A multistep electrode reaction has been found with two paths: (a) direct reduction of PhNO∸, and (b) reduction via the intermediate azoxybenzene formed and chemical reaction. The mechanism of transformation of PhNO∸ formed in the first step into azoxybenzene, and ion pairing effects are also described and discussed. Experimental association constants for ion pair formation are correlated with simple quantum chemical calculations of association energies.