Preparation of a new metallomicelle catalyst for the hydrolysis of bis(4-nitrophenyl) phosphate

A new metallomicellar system containing cerium(III), a macrocylic polyamine ligand, and the nonionic surfactant Brij35(polyoxyethylene(23) lauryl ether) was prepared and used as a catalyst in the hydrolysis of bis(4-nitrophenyl) phosphate (BNPP). Catalytic rate of the BNPP hydrolysis was measured kinetically using the UV-VIS spectrophotometric method. The results indicate that the metallomicellar system has relatively high stability and excellent catalytic function in the BNPP hydrolysis; also, the reaction rate of the BNPP catalytic hydrolysis increased by a factor of ca. 1 x 10(10) compared to the BNPP spontaneous hydrolysis due to the catalytic effect of the active species and the local concentration effect of the micelles in the metallomicellar system. Experimental results also showed that the mono-hydroxy complex containing the macrocyclic polyamine ligand and cerium(III) is the real active species in the BNPP catalytic hydrolysis, and that the micelles provide a useful catalytic environment for the reaction. On basis of the research results, the reaction mechanism of BNPP catalytic hydrolysis has been proposed.