Oxidation Communications 36, No 3, 565–572 (2013) Oxidation in the presence of halogen-containing compounds KINETICS AND MECHANISM OF OXIDATION OF METHYL GLYCOL AND ETHYL GLYCOL BY N-BROMOSUCCINIMIDE IN ALKALINE MEDIUM CATALYSED BY Os(VIII) R. A. SINGHa*, KAMINI SINGHa, ABHISHEK KUMARa, S. K. SINGHb aChemical Kinetics Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, T. D. P. G. College, 222 002 Jaunpur (U.P.), India E-mail:
[email protected];
[email protected] bDepartment of Chemistry, Sri J.N.P.G. College, Lucknow (U.P.), India ABSTRACT The kinetics of Os(VIII)-catalysed oxidation of methyl and ethyl glycol by N-bro mo- succinimide has been investigated in alkaline medium. The reaction shows first order kinetic with respect to methyl and ethyl glycols at their low concentration tended to zero order at their higher concentration. N-bromosuccinimide and osmium tetroxide also show first order kinetics. The dielectric constant of rate constant has positive effect. Negligible effect of variation of ionic strength of the medium on rate constant was observed. Increase in temperature markedly increase the rate constant of oxidation of methyl and ethyl glycols by N-bromosuccinimide under experimental condition. A plausible rate law can be proposed as – d[NBS] kdK1K2[NBS] [S] [Os(VIII)T][OH ] – = – – , dt 1 + K1[OH ] + K1K2 [OH ] [S] where S = glycol, viz. methyl and ethyl glycol. Keywords: oxidation, methyl glycol (MG), ethyl glycol (EG), osmium tetroxide, N-bromosuccinimide [NBS], kinetic and mechanistic approach. AIMS AND BACKGROUND Kinetic investigations involving aliphatic, cyclic, aromatic ketones and various oxidis- ing agents have been reported by many workers1,2.