Ruthenium(III) Catalysis in Perborate Oxidation of 5-Oxoacids

Ruthenium(III) catalyzes perborate oxidation of substituted 5-oxoacids in acidic solution. The catalyzed oxidation is first order with respect to the oxidant and catalyst. The rate of ruthenium(III) catalyzed oxidation displays the Michaelis-Menten kinetics on the reductant and is independent of [H+] of the medium. Hydrogen peroxide is the reactive species of perborate and the kinetic results reveal formation of ruthenium(III) peroxo species-5-oxoacid complex. Electron-releasing substituents accelerate the reaction rate and electron-withdrawing substituents retard it. The order of reactivity among the studied 5-oxoacids is p-methoxy ≫ p-methyl > p-phenyl > −H > p-chloro > p-bromo > m-nitro. Activation parameters are evaluated using Arrhenius and Eyring’s plots. A mechanism consistent with the observed kinetic data is proposed and discussed. A suitable rate law is derived based on the mechanism.