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Oxidation of Aspartic Acid by Cu(III) Complex in Alkaline Medium: A Kinetic and Mechanistic Study

S.-Y. Huo*, J.-H. Shan, C.-Y. Song, S.-G. Shen and H.-W. Sun

College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China

The kinetics and mechanism of oxidation of aspartic acid by the bis(hydrogen periodato) complex of Cu(III), [Cu(HIO₆)₂]^5-, is studied in an alkaline medium. The reaction rate is first order with respect to Cu(III) and fractional order with respect to aspartic acid. The value of the observed rate constant is found to decrease with the increase in concentrations of either OH^- or IO₄^-. There is a positive salt effect, and the free radical has been determined. In view of these kinetics phenomena, a plausible mechanism is proposed and the rate equations derived from the mechanism can explain all experimental results. The activation parameters along with the rate constants of the rate-determining step are calculated.

Keywords: Cu(III) complex, Aspartic acid, Kinetics and mechanism, Rate constant