Kinetic study of the Ce(III)- or ferroin-catalyzed Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction with ethyl- or butyl-malonic acid

In a stirred batch experiment, ferroin (Fe(phen)₃²⁺) behaves differently from Ce(III) as a catalyst for the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction with ethyl- or n-butyl-malonic acid (EtMA or BuMA) The effects of bromate ion, organic substrate, metal-ion catalyst, and sulfuric acid on the oscillating pattern were investigated. The kinetics of the reactions of methylmalonic acid (MeMA), bromomethyl-malonic acid (BrMeMA), EtMA, bromoethylmalonic acid (BrEtMA), BuMA, bromo(n-butyl)malonic acid (BrBuMA) with Ce(IV) or Fe(phen)₃³⁺ ion were studied. Under aerobic or anaerobic conditions, the order of reactivity toward Ce(IV) oxidation is MeMA > EtMA > BuMA > BrMeMA >> (BrEtMA, BrBuMA). Under aerobic conditions, the order of reactivity toward reacting with Fe(phen)₃³⁺ ion is MeMA > (BuMA, EtMA) >> (BrMeMA, BrEtMA, BrBuMA). The experimental results are rationalized. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.