Kinetic, mechanistic and spectral investigation of ruthenium (III)- catalysed oxidation of atenolol by alkaline permanganate (stopped-flow technique)

Kinetics of ruthenium (III) catalyzed oxidation of atenolol by permanganate in alkaline medium at constant ionic strength of 0,30 mol dm3 has been studied spectrophotometrically using a rapid kinetic accessory. Reaction between permanganate and atenolol in alkaline medium exhibits 1:8 stoichiometry (atenolol :KMnO4). The reaction shows first-order dependence on [permanganate] and [ruthenium (III)] and apparently less than unit order on both atenolol and alkali concentrations. Reaction rate decreases with increase in ionic strength and increases with decreasing dielectric constant of the medium. Initial addition of reaction products does not affect the rate significantly. A mechanism involving the formation of a complex between catalyst and substrate has been proposed. The active species of ruthenium (III) is understood as [Ru(H2O)5OH]2+. The reaction constants involved in the different steps of mechanism are calculated. Activation parameters with respect to the slow step of the mechanism are computed and discussed and thermodynamic quantities are also calculated.