KINETIC AND MECHANISTIC STUDIES ON THE RUTHENIUM (III) CATALYSED OXIDATION OF DL-ASPARTIC ACID WITH CERIUM (IV)

Kinetics of oxidation of DL-aspartic acid (Asp) was carried out at 30oC with cerium (IV) in sulphuric acid medium in presence of ruthenium (III) catalyst to elucidate its mechanism of oxidation. The reaction is first order with respect to [cerium (IV)] and [DL-aspartic acid], and the rate was determined to be independent of [H+] and [bisulphate]. A suitable mechanism was proposed involving the protonated form of DL-aspartic acid and cerium (IV).