Microemulsions as reaction media for a hydrolysis reaction

The kinetics of the acidic hydrolysis of N-hydroxyphthalimide (phthalomohyd roxamic acid) have been studied in microemulsions of three components (Aero sol OT (AOT)/isooctane/water) at 328 K. The effect of significant parameter s such as water/AOT mole ratio (omega) and AOT concentration were analyzed. The reaction rate is higher in microemulsions than in conventional aqueous solution. In all cases pseudo first-order kinetics were observed. Activati on parameters have been obtained from the temperature dependence of the rat e constant in the microemulsion.