Abstract:

The kineties and mechanism of oxidation of α-alanine by diperiodatocuprate (Ⅲ) ion was studied by spectrophotometry in alkaline medium. The reaction rate showed first order dependance in oxidant and 1.25 order dependance in α-alanine. It was found that the pesudo first-order ([Ala].>> [Cu(Ⅲ)].) rate constant kobs increases with the increases in [OH] and decreases with the increases in [IO]. The linear relationships between [Ala/kobs and 1/[Ala] and between 1/kobs and [IO] were observed in our experiment. There is a positive salt effect. Under the protection of nitrogen gas, the reaction system can induce polyn1erzation of acrylamide. A plausible mechanism involving free redicals has been proposed. The rate equations derived from the mechanism explained all the experimental results satisfactorily. The rate constant activation parameters of rate determing step have been calculated.

Key words: Diperiodato cuprate(III), α-Alanine, Redox reaction, Kinetics and mechanism