Electrochemical oxidation of inosine 5′-monophosphate in neutral aqueous solution

The electrochemical oxidation of purine nucleotide, Inosine 5′-monophosphate ( I ) has been studied in the pH range 2.13–10.07 at pyrolytic graphite electrode (PGE). The oxidation of ( I ) occurred in a single oxidation peak I a in the entire pH range. The peak potential of peak I a, shifted to less positive potential, when pH was increased. The kinetic studies of the UV-absorbing intermediate generated during electrooxidation were followed spectrophotometrically and the decay of the intermediates occurred in a pseudo-first-order reaction having rate constant ( k ) values in the range (0.656–0.806) × 10 −3 s −1 in the entire pH range. The characterization of the products of the electrochemical oxidation in the neutral aqueous solution was achieved by converting them to their trimethylsilyl derivatives and identified as allantoin, N–N dimer, C–O–N dimer, ribose, and tetramer. The products were separated by HPLC and characterized by GC-MS, m.p. and 1 H NMR. A plausible redox mechanism has also been suggested.