Electrochemical oxidation of 2,3-dihydrophthalazine-1,4-dione (DHP) has been investigated in aqueous and some amphiprotic and aprotic non-aqueous solvents by cyclic voltammetric and controlledpotential coulometric techniques. Our data shows that electrochemically generated phthalazine-1,4-dione (PTD) in water and amphiprotic non-aqueous solvents participates in an oxidative ring cleavage (ORC) reaction to form phthalic acid. The rate of this reaction is dependent. On autoprotolysis constant (KSH) and basicity of the solvent. Therefore, in the aprotic non-aqueous solvents such as acetonitrile and DMSO, the rate of ORC is too slow to be observed on the time-scale of cyclic voltammetry.
