KINETICS AND MECHANISM OF HOMOGENEOUS CATALYTIC HYDROXYLATION OF MALEIC-ACID BY HYDROGEN-PEROXIDE .4. HYDROLYSIS OF CIS-EPOXYSUCCINIC ACID IN THE PRESENCE OF FERRIC IONS

The kinetics of catalytic and non-catalytic hydrolysis of cis-epoxysuc cinic acid have been studied. The hydrolysis leading to tartaric acid has been found to proceed much faster in the presence of iron (III) ca talyst than the reaction without a catalyst or with tungstate catalyst . A complex of the form {cat.H(2)E} between iron(III) salts (catalyst) and epoxysuccinic acid seems to be responsible for the main catalytic effect. On the other hand, the reaction has been found to be retarded by the product of hydrolysis, tartaric acid (H2T). The inhibiting eff ect was caused by the formation of a catalyst deactivating complex in the forms {cat.H2T} and {cat.2H(2)T}. A mathematical model for the ove rall process has been developed and the mechanism of reaction discusse d.