Kinetics and mechanism of Pd(II) catalysed oxidation of some primary amines and aminoalcohols by alkaline hexacyanoferrate(lll)

Abstract

The kinetics of oxidation of primary amines (<i>n</i>-butylamine and isopropylamine) and aminoalcohols (2-aminoethanol and 3-aminopropanol) by alkaline hexacyanoferrate(III) have been studied in the presence of PdCl₂ as catalyst. The order of reaction in Fe(CN)<img src='http://www.niscair.res.in/jinfo/threebysix.gif' border=0> is always unity while that in substrate decreases from unity at higher [substrate]. The rate is proportional to [Pd(ll)] and is independent to [OH^-] (under the conditions when [OH^-]> [PdCI₂]). A mechanism involving {Pd(ll)-A} and {Pd(II)-(A)₂} (where A represents amine or aminoalcohol) intermediate complexes is proposed.