Kinetics and mechanism of the ruthenium(III)-catalyzed oxidation of hydroxy-acids byN-bromosuccinimide

• DOI: 10.1007/bf01032845
• Publication Date: 2005-01-20T14:38:12Z
• Authors: Rashmi Saxena; Santosh K. Upadhyay
• Keywords: N-Bromosuccinimide; Organometallic Chemistry

The kinetics of the RuIII-catalyzed oxidation of the hydroxy acids; lactic, tartaric, malic and citric acids byN-bromosuccinimide in HClO4 and in the presence of Hg(OAc)2 have been studied. The reactions exhibit a first order rate dependence with respect to the oxidant and zeroth order rate dependence with respect to substrate. The rate is retarded by [H+], accelerated at law RuIII concentrations but independent of [RuIII] at higher RuIII concentrations. A mechanism consistent with the observed kinetic data is proposed.