HEXACYANOFERRATE(III) CATALYSIS OF PERBORATE OXIDATION OF N,N-DIMETHYLANILINE

Sodium perborate, NaBO3 . 4H(2)O, is an inexpensive innocuous large sc ale industrial chemical primarily used as a bleaching agent in deterge nts. In crystalline state it is a true peroxo salt but affords H2O2 in aqueous solution.(1) H2O2 oxidizes N,N-dimethylaniline to N-oxide and tungsten(VI) catalyzes the oxidation.(2) The present study reveals ca talysis by hexacyanoferrate(III) and kinetic investigation provides me chanistic information on catalysis. Ogata et al(3) studied the kinetic s of peroxomonophosphoric acid oxidation of N,N-dimethylaniline to N-o xide.