Kinetics of iridium(III) catalyzed oxidation of benzaldehyde and p-nitrobenzaldehyde by cerium(IV) in aqueous acidic medium

Oxidation of benzaldehyde and p-nitro-benzaldehyde by cerium(IV) sulphate in aqueous sulphuric acid is strongly catalyzed by iridium(III) chloride. The complex formed between cerium(IV) and the organic substrate in the first equilibrium step gives another complex in the presence of iridium(III), which ultimately gives the corresponding aromatic acids as the product of oxidation. The order of the reaction follows first-order kinetics at low concentrations to zero order at higher concentrations of both the oxidant and organic substrate. The rate is directly proportional to the concentration of catalyst, but decreases sharply with increasing H⁺ ions and cerium(III) concentrations, while change in ionic strength of the medium or the concentration of acetic acid and Cl⁻ ions has no effect on the rate.