Abstract: | The kinetics of oxidation of cyclohexanone(chxn), 2-butanone(but), and 1,3-dihydroxy-2-propanone (dhp) have been investigated in aqueous acidic media. A first-order dependence in complex is obtained at high acid and low oxidant concentration for these ketones. However, a zero-order rate prevails at high oxidant and low acid concentration, and this rate has been shown to be the acid catalyzed enolization rate of the ketone. A general rate expression has been derived to explain these behaviors and plausible mechanism has been offered by assuming the enol as the reactive species. |