Ruthenium(VI)-catalysed oxidation of diols by alkaline hexacyanoferrate(III) ion. A kinetic study

The kinetics of Ru^VI-catalysed oxidation of ethane-1,2-diol, propane-1,3-diol, butane-1,3-diol, butane-1,4-diol and 2-butoxyethanol by hexacyanoferrate(III) ion in an aqueous alkaline medium at constant ionic strength shows zeroth order dependence on hexacyanoferrate(III) and first order dependence on Ru^VI and substrate. The results suggest that a complex is formed, between Ru^VI and the diol, which slowly decomposes to a reduced form of ruthenium, which is reoxidized to Ru^VI in a fast step by alkaline hexacyanoferrate(III). A plausible reaction mechanism is proposed.