Electrooxidation of alcohols in a disperse system with N-oxyl-immobilized polyethylene particles as disperse phase and aqueous NaHCO₃/NaBr as disperse media: A totally closed electrolysis system

Electrooxidation of alcohols was performed successfully in a disperse system with N-oxyl immobilized polyethylene particles as disperse phase and an aqueous saturated NaHCO₃ solution involving 20 wt% NaBr as disperse media. The N-oxyl immobilized polyethylene particles were prepared by heating a suspension of polyethylene particles (3 x 3 x 0.02 mm³) in fuming nitric acid at 80°C for 1 h followed by treatment with 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpyperidine-1-oxyl in chlorobenzene in the presence of DCC. Recycle use of the N-oxyl-immobilized polyethylene particles and the aqueous media was performed successfully without significant change of the yields of the products and current efficiency, thereby offering a totally closed electrolysis system.