Kinetic study of ruthenium(VI)-catalyzed oxidation of 2-butanol by alkaline hexacyanoferrate(III)

The oxidation kinetics of 2-butanol by alkaline hexacyanoferrate(III) catalyzed by sodium ruthenate has been studied spectrophotometrically. The initial rates method was used for kinetic analysis. The reaction rate shows a fractional-order in [hexacyanoferrate(III)] and [substrate] and a first-order dependence on [Ru(VI)]. The dependence on [OH−] is rather more complicated. The kinetic data suggest a reaction mechanism involving two active catalytic species. Each one of these species forms an intermediate complex with the substrate. The attack of these complexes by hexacyanoferrate(III), in a slow step, produces ruthenium(V) complexes which are oxidized in subsequent steps to regenerate the catalyst species.