Chemical and Electrochemical Oxidations of Aromatic Compounds in Fluorosulfuric Acid

Abstract
The behavior of aromatic compounds, such as perylene, 1,2,5,6 dibenzo-anthracene, 1,2,3,5 dibenzo anthracene, phenanthrene, naphthalene, benzene and its derivatives, has been studied in fluorosulfuric acid. Some hydrocarbons are oxidized to carbonium ions (with the concomitant reduction of SO3 giving SO2 and H2SO4) while others are sulfonated. Perylene, anthracene, phenanthrene are protonated prior to their oxidation by SO3. Coulometry has been carried out for potentials corresponding to the plateaux of the oxidation waves of these compounds.