Kinetics of Silver-Catalysed Oxidation of Propionamide by Potassium Peroxydisulphate

Abstract

University of Roorkee and D. S. College, Aligarh Received 3 December 1971; revised M S S received 18 May 1972 The kinetics of Ag⁺ catalysed oxidation of propionamide by peroxydisulphate ion in aqueous medium has been studied. The reaction is found to be first order w.r.t. S₂O₈^2-, zero order w.r.t. propionamide, but the specific rate is a function of S₂O₈^2- and propionamide concentration. It decreases with an increase in S₂O₈^2- but increases with an increase in propionamide concentration and attains a maximum value at high concentration. The specific rate is linearly related to [Ag⁺] by an expression K = 1.2 x 10^-4+0.78[Ag⁺] K+ exerts a strong specific inhibitory effect on the rate. The temperature coefficient, energy of activation, frequency factor and entropy of activation have been determined. The mole ratio is found to be 1 : 1 and the final products are C₂H₅ COOH and nitrogen. Traces of allyl acetate inhibit the reaction appreciably. On the basis of these kinetic results, a possible reaction mechanism has been proposed and the corresponding rate expression deduced,