Reducción de órganohalogenados mediada por vitamina B12 y citrato de titanio (III) en microemulsiones bicontinuas

We studied the electrochemical behavior of both the titanium citrate and the vitamin B12 in bicontinuous microemulsions for the reduction of halogenated organic compounds. The reduced form of titanium citrate complex, Ti(III)-cit, prepared by electrolysis, transforms, in a homogeneous way, the vitamin B12 to their reduced (B12r) and super reduced (B12s) forms; the latter form (B12s) easily promotes dehalogenation of organic compounds in microemulsion. Benzyl chloride, for example, was dehalogenated in a short period of time transforming the original amount between 46 and 85%; on the other hand, lindane disappeared completely when it was in the presence of vitamin B12 while no effect was observed for 1,2–dichloroethane