Kinetics and mechanism of metal ion catalysis. Part III. Osmium(VIII) catalysed oxidation of m-hydroxybenzaldehyde by Fe(CN)6 3− in alkaline medium

Os^VIII-catalysed oxidation of m-hydroxybenzaldehyde by alkaline Fe(CN)₆ ^3– has been studied in the 0.01–0.05 M OH^–] range. Higher OH^–] concentrations were not possible as the substrate turned yellow at OH^–] > 0.05 M. The very low solubility of the substrate in H₂O restricted the kinetic study to OH^–] < 0.01 M. A mechanism, consistent with the results is proposed.