The electrochemical oxidation mechanism of 2-[4-(N,N-dimethylamino)phenyl]-6-methyl benzothiazole (DPMB) is studied in a 0.1 M N(C4H9)(4)ClO4 + acetonitrile (ACN) reaction medium by cyclic (CV) and square wave voltammetries (SWV) as well as by controlled potential bulk electrolysis at platinum electrodes. The primary radical cation formed by the one electron oxidation of DPMB undergoes a deprotonation process, which is the rate-determining step, followed by a radical-radical coupling. On the other hand, an initial quasi-reversible monoelectronic charge transfer mechanism is inferred from cyclic and square wave vottammograms recorded at scan rates and frequencies higher than 0.4 V s(-1) and 40 Hz, respectively. Diffusion coefficients of DPMB at different temperatures were calculated from the quasi-reversible convoluted cyclic voltammograms. DigiSim(R) and COOL software were used to fit the quasi-reversible cyclic and square wave voltammetric responses, respectively. Formal potentials, formal rate constants and positive transfer coefficients at different temperatures were evaluated from the fitting of cyclic voltammograms. The experimental activation parameters were also determined. The effects of the analytical concentration of the reagent and the temperature, as well as the addition of trifluoracetic acid and a strong base such as lutidine on the electrochemical responses are discussed. A general reaction mechanism as well as probable structures for dimeric products are proposed. Besides, the presence of an acid-base equilibrium in DPMB solutions is also studied by employing UV-Vis spectroscopic measurements at different trifluoracetic acid concentrations. An apparent value of (1.5 +/- 0.2) x 10(3) M-1 was estimated for the DPMB basic constant at 20.0 degreesC. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.