Electrochemical reaction of nitrobenzene and its derivatives on glassy carbon electrode modified with MnFe₂O₄ colloid nanocrystal assemblies

The electrochemical reduction behavior of nitrobenzene was studied on glassy carbon electrodes modified with MnFe₂O₄ colloid nanocrystal assemblies. The crystalline size and structure of the colloid nanocrystal assemblies were found to play important roles in determining the catalytic activity of the electrode towards nitrobenzene. It was found that nitrobenzene was first reduced to phenylhydroxylamine via a four-electron reduction pathway, then phenylhydroxylamine was oxidized to nitrosobenzene by losing two-electron on the electrode. The electrochemical reaction mechanisms of p-nitrotoluene and m-dinitrobenzen on the electrodes were discussed and analyzed based on the experimental data.