Catalytic and Kinetic Waves in Polarography

As our knowledge of the mechanism of electrode processes increases, it becomes more and more apparent that the kinetic currents first observed by R. Brdicka and by K. Wiesner in the 1940's are very widely encountered. Very many electrode pro­ cesses contain a chemical stage. * This is true primarily of elec­ trode processes that involve organic compounds. Therefore, to understand the mechanism of electrode processes and, particular­ ly, to correctly interpret the results of polarographic investiga­ tions, it is important to know the characteristics and relationships controlling the chemical reactions taking place at the electrode surface. Generally, these reactions are substantially different from ordinary chemical reactions taking place in the bulk of the solution, since the reactions at the electrodes are often affected by the electric field of the electrode and the adsorption of the par­ ticipating compounds . The fact that hydrogen ions usuallY take part in the electro­ chemical reduction of organic compounds makes possible the use of electrochemical methods, particularly polarography, for the study of protolytic reactions. These reactions play an important role in organic chemistry: the majority of reactions of organic compounds in solutions go through a stage in which a hydrogen ion is removed or added (see, for example, [1, 2]). Therefore, the polarographic study of protolytic reactions can supply much important information to theoretical organic chemistry.