Polarographic analysis of organic compounds:

This method is used in organic chemistry for qualitative and quantitative analysis and structure determinations. Many of the organic compounds are insoluble in pure aqueous medium and also in mercury to form amalgam. Thus, the solvent in that the organic compound and its electrode product are soluble is added to the supporting electrol yte. These solvents involve several alcohols or dimethyl formamide, ketones, acetonitrile, ethylene diamine and others. The commonly used supporting electrolytes which are simply mixed along with organic solvents are several quaternary ammonium salts like as tetrabutyl ammonium iodide.

A few of the organic functional groups that are reducible at DME are given in Table .

Table :  Reducible Organic Functional Groups

Further dibromides, aryl halides, alpha-halogenated ketone or aryl methane, and ketones, polynuclear aromatic ring systems, and heterocyclic double bond decrease at DME.

-S-S-, -SH (mercaptones get oxidized at DME and provide anodic currents).

It is also probable to convert the non-polarographic active groups within active polarographic groups and determine them.