Electrode Reactions Coupled with Chemical Reactions of Oxygen, Water and Acetaldehyde in an Ionic Liquid: New Approaches for Sensing Volatile Organic Compounds.

ABSTRACT: Water and oxygen are ubiquitous present in ambient conditions. This work studies the unique oxygen, trace water and a volatile organic compound (VOC) acetaldehyde redox chemistry in a hydrophobic and aprotic ionic liquid (IL), 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ([Bmpy] [NTf₂]) by cyclic voltammetry and potential step methods. One electron oxygen reduction leads to superoxide radical formation in the IL. Trace water in the IL acts as a protic species that reacts with the superoxide radical. Acetaldehyde is a stronger protic species than water for reacting with the superoxide radical. The presence of trace water in the IL was also demonstrated to facilitate the electro-oxidation of acetaldehyde, with similar mechanism to that in the aqueous solutions.

SUBMITTER: Chi X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5683728 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature