DEGRADATION AND PHOTODEGRADATION OF TETRAACETYLETHYLENEDIAMINE (TAED)IN THE PRESENCE OF IRON(III) IN AQUEOUS-SOLUTION

The dark degradation of tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED) was investig ated, It is a slow process which is favored in acidic medium, There is a hydrolysis of an imide group with the scission of the C-N bond givi ng rise to the triacetyl derivative (TAED'), When allowed to stand for longer times a second acetyl group is eliminated with the formation o f the symetric diacetyl derivative (DAED), The degradation of TAED pho toinduced by iron (III) was also investigated, It appears a faster deg radation which does not lead to the same products. The process only in volves (OH)-O-. radicals formed upon photolysis of aquocomplex of iron (III), They preferentially abstract a hydrogen from the methylene gro up. The degradation is then assisted by oxygen and leads to the format ion of carbonylated oxidation products. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.