Oxidation chemistry of indole-3-methanol

Abstract

The electrochemically driven and persulfate-mediated oxidations of indole-3-methanol have been studied in phosphate buffers. The electrochemical oxidation was carried out at a pyrolytic graphite electrode and the electrode reaction is found to follow the ECE mechanism. The kinetics of the UV-absorbing intermediate were followed spectrophotometrically and decay occurred in a pseudo-first-order reaction. On the other hand, the oxidation of indole-3-methanol by persulfate followed pseudo-first-order kinetics having first-order with respect to substrate. This reaction takes place with a second-order rate constant of (0.13 ± 0.005) dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹. A detailed interpretation of the redox mechanism for indole-3-methanol in both the oxidations has been suggested.