The kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of amines and alcohols at oxide-covered nickel, silver, copper, and cobalt electrodes

A series of alcohols and amines have been oxidised at oxide-covered nickel, silver, copper, and cobalt anodes in aqueous alkaline solutions. The kinetics of these electrode processes have been studied and it is shown that the mechanism of these oxidations involves hydrogen abstraction from the substrate by an oxide species rather than direct electron transfer to the anode. The mechanism put forward is compared with those commonly suggested for the chemical reactions of transition-metal oxides and for heterogeneous catalysis.