Osmium [VIH]-catalyzed oxidation of indoles by potassium hexacyanoferrate [III] in alkaline media: a kinetic and mechanistic study

The reaction of indoles with Os [VIII] catalyzed hexacyanoferrate [III] in alkaline media to produce the corresponding oxindole has been studied at constant temperature and ionic strength. The reaction followed first order kinetics with respect to [indole], [OH[-] and [Os [VIII]], fractional order in [Fe[CN][6][-3]. The effects of added electrolytes, potassium hexacyanoferrate [II], relative permitivity and temperature have also been studied. A mechanism consistent with the kinetic data is proposed. Furthermore, the structural influence of the indoles on the reactivity has been discussed

Kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of indoles by alkaline potassium hexacyanoferrate [III]

The reaction of indoles with hexacyanoferrate [III] in alkaline media to produce the corresponding oxindole has been studied at constant temperature and ionic strength. The reaction followed first order kinetics with respect to [indole] and [OH[-], whereas fractional order with respect to [Fe[CN][6][-3]] was found. The effects of added electrolytes, potassium hexacyanoferrate [II], relative permitivity and temperature have also been studied. On the basis of experimental observations, a probable reaction mechanism has been proposed