Polarographic reduction of aldehydes and ketones. Part 6.—Behaviour of cinnamaldehyde at lower pH-values

TLDR: In this article, Cinnamaldehyde is reduced at the dropping mercury electrode in two main two-electron steps, in the first the CC double bond is reduced and in the second the aldehydic group.

Abstract: Cinnamaldehyde is reduced at the dropping mercury electrode in two main two-electron steps. In the first the CC double bond is reduced, in the second the aldehydic group. The rate of dehydration of 3-phenylpropionaldehyde governs the height of the more negative step. In acid media the first two-electron process is split into two one-electron steps. The radical formed in the first one-electron step can react with cations and the adduct formed gives a separate wave iN. In electrolyses with electrodes which do not have a periodically renewed surface (mercury pool and hanging mercury drop electrodes, single-sweep techniques) the radical formed undergoes further reactions and can eventually polymerize.