A kinetic and mechanistic study on the oxidation of L-cystine by alkaline diperiodatocuprate(III): A free radical intervention

The kinetics of oxidation of L-cystine (L-CYS) by diperiodatocuprate (III) (DPC) in aqueous alkaline medium at a constant ionic strength of 0.20 mol/1 was studied spectrophotometrically at 298 K. The reaction between DPC and L-cystine in alkaline medium exhibits 1: 4 stoichiometry (L-cystine: DPC = 1: 4). The reaction is of first order in [DPC] and has less than unit order in [L-CYS] and [alkali], negative fractional order in [periodate] and intervention of free radicals was observed in the reaction. The oxidation reaction in alkaline medium has been shown to proceed via a monoperiodatocuprate(III)-L-ystine complex, which decomposes slowly in a rate determining step followed by other fast steps to give the products. The main products were identified by spot test, IR and GC-MS. The reaction constants involved in the different steps of the mechanism are calculated. The activation parameters with respect to slow step of the mechanism are computed and discussed and thermodynamic quantities were also determined.