Method for oxidation of an element in both compartments of an electrolytic cell

• US 4,487,669 A
• Filed: 01/31/1983
• Issued: 12/11/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koppers Company Incorporated Koppers BLDG
• Original Assignee: Koppers Incorporated (Koppers Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kuwana, Theodore
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas; Winston A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chapman; Terryence
• Application Number:
  US06/462,310
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 204/84,101,128 423/502 260/694
• US Class Current: 570/252
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/00 Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/24 Halogens or compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 3/27 Halogenation

Abstract

A method of oxidizing an element in both compartments of an electrolytic cell is provided. The method comprises reducing O₂ to H₂ O₂ in the cathodic compartment with a reducing agent such as a cobalt porphyrin, cobalt phthalocyanine, or hydroquinone, and oxidizing the element in both compartments preferably in the presence of a halide. Yields of up to 200 percent are obtainable.

Claims

1. A method of oxidizing an element in both compartments of an electrolytic cell which comprises reducing O₂ with a reducing agent contained in the cathode compartment to H₂ O₂ which H₂ O₂ oxidizes the element, and directly oxidizing the same element in the anode compartment.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein a bromide or iodide is oxidized at the anode to form a bromine or iodine oxidizing agent.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein iodide is oxidized.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein bromide is oxidized.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the reducing agent in the cathode compartment is affixed to the electrode.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the reducing agent is selected from cobalt porphyrins, cobalt phthalocyanines and hydroquinones.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the reducing agent is cobalt tetrakis[N-methyl-4-pyridyl]porphyrin.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the reducing agent is cobalt tetrapyridyl porphyrin.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the reducing agent is cobalt phthalocyanine.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the reducing agent is cobalt tetrasulfonated phthalocyanine.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the reducing agent is 1,4-dihydroxybenzene.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the reducing agent is 1,4-dihydroxynaphthalene.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the reducing agent is tetraphenylporphinecobalt.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the anode and cathode compartments are separated by a membrane which is ion permeable but impermeable to solutions contained in the compartments.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the membrane is a microporous laminate of a perflourosulfonic acid resin with a fabric of polytetrafluoroethylene.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein bromide is present and is oxidized to bromine which is removed by an inert gas and is reacted with cyclohexene to form dibromocyclohexane.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein a halide is present in the cathode compartment.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the halide is bromide.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the halide is iodide.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the element is As(III) which is oxidized to As(V).