Kinetic investigation on the oxidation of nitrite by oxochromium(V) ion in aqueous and micellar systems

The kinetics of oxidation of nitrite by [O = CrV (5‐chlorosalen)]+ complex has been studied spectrophotometrically at [CrV] = 0.5 × 10−3 M, [NO2−] = 0.01–0.1 M, [H+] = 0.0001–0.05 M, I = 0.15 M, and T = 25°C in the presence of cationic surfactant, cetyl pyridium chloride (CPC), and anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS),in aqueous acidic medium. The oxygen atom transfer reaction from O = CrV to nitrite ion is influenced by the ionic nature of the micelle. The redox reaction is accelerated in presence of CPC and slowed down by 40 times in presence of SDS. The mechanism of the reaction involves an inner‐sphere process involving the formation of an intermediate followed by oxo transfer process.