The Effect of Surfactants on the Electro‐oxidation of Benzhydrol in Emulsion and Micelle Systems

Abstract

A study was made of the effect of surfactants on the yields of product obtained in the anodic oxidation of aromatic alcohols in water‐organic solvent emulsion and micelle systems. It was found that cationic surfactants caused marked increases in the yield while anionic or neutral surfactants caused only small increases in the yield. It was concluded that at least part of the effect was caused by the formation of a film on the surface of the anode which inhibited the competing process, the evolution of oxygen.