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Information concerning the kinetics of electro ‐oxidation of methanol and formic acid in acid solution at a stationary platinum electrode can be obtained from the study of cyclic voltamgrams. The voltamgrams are obtained by recording the current density of the working electrode while its potential is scanned back and forth at constant rate between adequate potentials. The analysis of the shape of cyclic voltamgrams and of the effect of the rate of scanning on this shape sustains the hypothesis that the electro‐oxidation of organic compounds to carbon dioxide and water is limited by the rate of formation of some intermediate platinum‐carboxo surface compound. The thermodynamic yield of the electrode reaction seems to be limited by the stability of this intermediate compound.

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