Kinetics of MnO4- Oxidation of Succinic Acid in Aqueous Solution of Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide

The rate of electron transfer from succinic acid to permanganate increases with an increase in the concentration of cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The micellar catalysis is attributed to the formation of an ion pair between CTAB subaggregates and reactants as well as an increase in the concentration (solubilization) of both reactants and/or intermediate in the micellar pseudophase. The effects of inorganic salts (MnCl2, NaF, NaBr, and NaNO3) have also been studied and discussed. The observed results are discussed in terms of the pseudophase model of the micelles proposed by Menger and Portony. Mechanisms consistent with the observed kinetic data have been proposed. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 42: 704-712, 2010