Kinetic and mechanistic studies on the oxidation of pyrrolidine by bis(hydrogenperiodato)argentate(III) complex anion

The kinetics of oxidation of pyrrolidine by bis(hydrogenperiodato)argentate(III) complex anion ([Ag(HIO6)2]5−) was studied in alkaline medium, with reaction temperatures in the range of 15.0–30.0 °C. The experiments indicated that the oxidation follows an overall second-order reaction, being first-order in both Ag(III) and pyrrolidine. The observed second-order rate constants, k′, decreased with increasing [IO4−] but increased slightly with increasing [OH−]. The influence of ionic strength on the reaction rate was also investigated. The oxidation resulted in oxidative deamination of pyrrolidine, giving 4-hydroxybutyrate as the product. A reaction mechanism is proposed which includes an equilibrium between [Ag(HIO6)2]5− and [Ag(HIO6)2(OH)(H2O)]2−; these two Ag(III) species are reduced by pyrrolidine in parallel rate-determining steps. The rate equation derived from the proposed mechanism can explain the experimental observations. The rate constants of the rate-determining steps, together with the associated activation parameters, were calculated accordingly.