THE ROLE OF ACETATE IN THE OXIDATION OF D-GALACTOSE BY CU(II) IN ACETATE-ACETIC ACID BUFFERS

The participation of acetate in the oxidation of D-galactose by Cu(II) has been studied over the pH range 4.25-5 at 110 degrees C. The obser ved pseudo-first-order rate constant is given by: k(obs) = {e + f/[H+] + g/[H+](2)}[AcO-][Cu(II)](T) x {1 + c[AcO-] + d[AcO-]/[H+]}(-1), whe re e = (1.6 +/- 0.2) x 10(-2)M(-1)s(-1), f = (7.3+ /- 0.9) x 10(-7) s( -1), g = (7.2 +/- 0.8) x 10(-12) M.s(-1) c = 19 +/- 1 M(-1) and d = (2 .8+/-0.2) x 10(-4). The results confirm that CuOAc+ is the reactive sp ecies and a mechanism including all the variables of the system is pre sented and discussed.