Abstract
Author(s): V. Priya and M. Subalakshmi
Three aromatic monoethers viz., benzyl methyl ether, benzylethyl ether, benzyl propyl ether are chosen for the mechanistic study of oxidation by N-chloronicotinamide (NCN) in aqueous acetic acid medium. The observed rate of oxidation is first order in [oxidant] and [HCl], zero order in [substrate]. An increase in the dielectric constant of the medium decreases the rate. Variation in ionic strength of the medium has no significant effect on the rate and the addition of the reaction product, nicotinamide has a slight retarding effect on the rate. The stoichiometry and product analysis have been carried out. From the effect of temperature on the reaction rate, the Arrhenius and thermodynamic activation parameters have been calculated. A suitable mechanism has been proposed and a rate law explaining the experimental results is obtained.