Comparative study of γ-hidroxybutiric acid (GHB) and other derivative compounds by spectroelectrochemistry raman (SERS) on platinum surface

• GHB oxidation use platinum hydroxide species acting as catalysis intermediates.
• GHB SERS spectroelectrochemistry has been performed for the first time.
• Spectro-electrochemistry proves that succinic acid plays a role in GHB oxidation.
• Electro-oxidation of 1-butanol produced butyric acid predominantly.
• SERS Spectro-electrochemistry for derivatives of GHB presented for the first time.

The electrochemical behaviour of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), the cyclic lactone derivative (GBL), 1-butanol, butyric acid and succinic acid on a platinum electrode in acidic medium has been studied by means of Raman spectro-electrochemistry using the SERS effect. Only GHB and 1-butanol were found to be electroactive substances that can form the acid product mainly and other species in minor proportion through the electro-catalytic oxidation reaction of alcohol group. The interaction of all these molecules with the platinum and platinum oxides, generated during the electrodic process has been investigated in a wide interval of potentials. Succinic acid was found to play the role of both intermediate (to produce the conjugate derivative) and product in GHB electrocatalytic oxidation. Likewise, the electro-oxidation of 1-butanol produced butyric acid predominantly. The carbon (CH2) and the ring skeletons presented a predominant interaction with the platinum oxide surface for 1-butanol and GBL, respectively.