Kinetics and mechanism of L-isoleucine oxidation by alkaline diperiodatoargentate(III)

The oxidation of L-isoleucine by alkaline diperiodatoargentate(III) (DPA) at 298 K and a constant ionic strength of 0.80 mol dm^-3 was studied spectrophotometrically. The stoichiometry is [L-isoleucine]: [DPA] = 1:2. The reaction is first order in [DPA] and has less than unit order in both [L-isoleucine] and [alkali] and retarding effect in [IO₄̄]. The oxidation reaction in alkaline medium has been shown to proceed via a L-isoleucine-DPA complex, which further reacts with one molecule of DPA in a rate determining step followed by other fast steps to give the products. Spot test and IR were used to identify the main products. The reaction constants involved in the different steps of the mechanism are calculated. The activation parameters with respect to the slow step of the mechanism are computed and discussed, and thermodynamic quantities are also determined. The probable active species of oxidant have been identified.