Kinetic of oxidation of methyl orange by vanadium(V) under conditions VO2 + and decavanadates coexist: Catalysis by Triton X-100 micellar medium

V. Srikanth, P. Shyamala and K. Sundara Rao

Abstract

The kinetics of oxidation of methyl orange by vanadium(V) {V(V)} has been investigated in the pH range 2.3-3.79. In this pH range V(V) exists both in the form of decavanadates and VO2 + . The kinetic results are distinctly different from the results obtained for the same reaction in highly acidic solution (pH < 1) where V(V) exists only in the form of VO2 + . The reaction obeys first order kinetics with respect to methyl orange but the rate has very little dependence on total vanadium concentration. The reaction is accelerated by H+ ion but the dependence of rate on [H+] is less than that corresponding to first order dependence. The equilibrium between decavanadates and VO2 + explains the different kinetic pattern observed in this pH range. The reaction is markedly accelerated by Triton X-100 micelles. The rate-[surfactant] profile shows a limiting behavior indicative of a unimolecular pathway in the micellar pseudophase.