Kinetics and Mechanism of Oxidation of 1-Methoxy-2-propanol and 1-Ethoxy- 2-propanol by Ditelluratoargentate(III) in Alkaline Medium

Abstract

The kinetics of oxidation of 1-methoxy-2-propanol and 1-ethoxy-2-propanol by ditelluratoargentate(III) in alkaline liquids has been studied spectrophotometrically in the temperature range of 293.2 K-313.2 K. The reaction rate showed first order dependence in ditelluratoargentate(III) and fractional order with respect to 1-methoxy-2-propanol or 1-ethoxy- 2-propanol. It was found that the pseudo-first order rate constant k_obs increased with an increase in concentration of OH^– and a decrease in concentration of H₄TeO₆^2–. There was a negative salt effect and no free radicals were detected. A plausible mechanism involving a two-electron transfer is proposed and the rate equations derived from the mechanism can explain all the experimental results. The rate equations derived from mechanism can explain all experimental observations. The activation parameters along with the rate constants of the rate-determining step were calculated.