Studies of kinetic acidity dependence in certain oxidation reactions

Abstract

The rate of oxidation of 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropanoic acid by vanadium(V) ion in sulphuric and perchloric acid solutions has been measured. The rate is greater in perchloric than in sulphuric acid for the same acid concentration. Various hypotheses for the mechanism of acid catalysis have been tested, and it has been found that the rate is related to the activity of the water. The energy of activation and the entropy have been calculated and the natures of the reactive vanadium(V) species in the two acids are suggested.