Kinetics and mechanisms of oxidation of 1-octene and heptanal by crown ether-solubilized potassium permanganate in non-aqueous solvents

The kinetics of oxidation of 1-octene and heptanal by 18-crown-6-ether-solubilized KMnO₄ in benzene and CH₂Cl₂ have been investigated. In benzene, the oxidation of 1-octene is first order with respect to the oxidant and zero order with respect to the substrate, whereas in CH₂Cl₂ the reaction is first order with respect to both substrate and oxidant. The reaction of heptanal followed different kinetics being first order with respect to both substrate and oxidant, regardless of whether benzene or CH₂Cl₂ was employed as the solvent. The values of activation energy E _a, standard enthalpy H ^*, standard entropy change S ^*, and standard free energy G ^*, for the reaction, are reported. Mechanistic pathways for the studied reactions are also proposed.