Electrochemical properties of polycyclic compounds studied by the polarographic method in anhydrous systems. V. Oxidation potentials of carcinogenic hydrocarbons in acetonitrile.

The half-wave oxidation potentials of polycyclic carcinogenic hydrocarbons have been studied at the rotating platinum electrode in anhydrous acetonitrile with sodium perchlorate as the supporting electrolyte. The good agreement was obtained by the comparison of the carcinogenic activity of studied compounds with the values of the oxidation potentials. The values of the oxidation half-wave potentials were correlated also with the reduction potentials measured in acetonitrile and with the root xn of the Hückel secular equation for the highest bonding orbital.