Abstract: | Pseudo‐first‐order rate constants (kobs) for alkaline hydrolysis of 4‐nitrophthalimide (NPTH) decreased by nearly 8‐ and 6‐fold with the increase in the total concentration of cetyltrimethyl‐ammonium bromide ([CTABr]T) from 0 to 0.02 M at 0.01 and 0.05 M NaOH, respectively. These observations are explained in terms of the pseudophase model and pseudophase ion‐exchange model of micelle. The increase in the contents of CH3CN from 1 to 70% v/v and CH3OH from 0 to 80% v/v in mixed aqueous solvents decreases kobs by nearly 12‐ and 11‐fold, respectively. The values of kobs increase by nearly 27% with the increase in the ionic strength from 0.03 to 3.0 M. The mechanism of alkaline hydrolysis of NPTH involves the reactions between HO? and nonionized NPTH as well as between HO? and ionized NPTH. The micellar inhibition of the rate of alkaline hydrolysis of NPTH is attributed to medium polarity effect. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 33: 407–414, 2001 |