Kinetics and Mechanism of 1,10-Phenanthroline Catalysed Chromium(VI) Oxidation of D-Glucose in Aqueous Micellar Media

The kinetics and mechanism of Cr VI oxidation of D-glucose in the presence and absence of 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) in aqueous acid media have been studied under the conditions, [sugar] T ≥ [Cr VI ] T at different temperatures. The monomeric species of Cr VI has been found to be kinetically active in the absence of phen whereas in the phen-catalysed path, the Cr VI - phen complexes have been found to be the active oxidants. Both the paths show a first order dependence on [sugar] T and [Cr VI ] T . The uncatalysed path shows a second order dependence on [H + ], while the catalysed path shows a first order dependence on [H + ]. The phen-catalysed path is first-order in [phen] T . These observations remain unaltered in the presence of externally added surfactants. CPC inhibits both pathways while SDS catalyses the reactions.