The oxidation of guanidine hydrochloride (GH) by alkaline permanganate has
1:2 stoichiometry and exhibits unit order in [MnO4-], less than unit order
in [GH] and zero order in [OH-]. The reaction proceeds via formation of an
oxidant-substrate complex and its subsequent decomposition to yield a free
radical of guanidine hydrochloride which is followed by further fast steps
to give the products. The reaction constants involved in the mechanism and
the activation parameters have been computed. There is a good agreement bet
ween the observed and calculated rate constants under different experimenta
l conditions.