KINETICS AND MECHANISM OF THE OXIDATION OF L-ALPHA-AMINO-N-BUTYRIC ACID BY PERMANGANATE IN ACID-MEDIUM

The kinetic study of the oxidation of L-alpha-amino-n-butyric acid by permanganate ions has been carried out in buffered acid medium at pH = 1-3, using a spectrophotometric technique. An auto-catalytic effect h as been observed in ail cases due to Mn2+ ions formed as a product of the reaction. A first-order reaction with respect to the amino acid an d the permanganate ions in both processes, catalyzed and uncatalyzed w as obtained. The influence of several factors (pH, temperature, ionic strength, and reactants concentration) on the rate constants has also been investigated. In this article we propose a reaction mechanism in accordance with the experimental results obtained. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons Inc.