Kolbe electrolysis critical potential

Pseudo-Kolbe electrolysis is the name given to anodic decarboxylations where the electron transfer does not occur from the carboxylate but from a group attached to it [31]. These oxidations are characterized by potentials that are much lower than the critical potential for the Kolbe electrolysis. The salt of p-methoxyphenylacetic acid can be oxidized in methanol to afford the corresponding methyl ether as the sole product. The low oxidation potential of 1.4 V (see) suggests, that the electron is being transferred from the aromatic nucleus (Eq. 39) [31]. 

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