Reactivity of Electrogenerated Superoxide Ion. I. Autoxidation of 9,10-Dihydroanthracene

The superoxide ion, which was generated by means of electroreduction of the oxygen molecule dissolved in pyridine, abstracted the labile hydrogen from 9,10-dihydroanthracene and yielded anthraquinone and anthracene as the final products. From the products and their kinetics, the reaction was proposed to be a radical-chain autoxidation. Reactions with some other hydrocarbons were also carried out. The addition of ferrous or cobaltous phthalocyanine to the reaction system resulted in the increase of the reaction rate. A discussion of the effects led to the postulation of the intermediate formation of the superoxide ion-metal phthalocyanine complex.