Kinetics of oxidation of benzyl alcohol by sodium N-chloro-p-toluenesulfonamide

The kinetics of oxidation of benzyl alcohol and substituted benzyl alcohols by sodium N-chloro-p-toluenesulfonamide (chloramine-T, CAT) in HClO₄ (0.1–1 mol/dm³) containing Cl^? ions, over the temperature range of 30–50°C have been studied. The reaction is of first order each with respect to alcohol and oxidant. The fractional order dependence of the rate on the concentrations of H⁺ and Cl^? suggests a complex formation between RNCl^? and HCl. In higher acidic chloride solution the rate of reaction is proportional to the concentrations of both H⁺ and Cl^7hyphen;. The observed solvent isotope effect (k/k) is 1.43 at 30°C. The reaction constant (p = ?1.66) and thermodynamic parameters are evaluated. Rate expressions and probable mechanisms for the observed kinetics have been suggested.