Influence of Specific Adsorption of Reactant and Product upon Charge-transfer Processes in Polarography: The Azobenzene-Hydrazobenzene System

Abstract

An examination of the polarograms of azobenzene and hydrazobenzene in media of differing pH has allowed conclusions as to the mechanism of the azobenzene-hydrazobenzene electrode process on mercury to be drawn. The shifts of the above polarograms towards increasing overpotentials with an increase in the reactant concentration have been attributed to azobenzene adsorption. A quantitative examination of this effect has allowed the value K0= 2.8 × 103 l. mol–1 to be attributed to the adsorption coefficient of azobenzene in a pH 9, 90 %(v/v) ethanol + water mixture.