Micellar Catalysis on 1,10-Phenanthroline Promoted Chromic Acid Oxidation of Glycerol in Aqueous Media

Abstract

Abstract On pseudo-first order conditions, the monomeric species of Cr(VI) was found to be kinetically active in the absence of phenanthroline (phen) whereas in the phen-promoted path, the Cr(VI)-phen complex undergoes a nucleophilic attack by glycerol to form a ternary complex which subsequently experience a redox decomposition leading to glyceraldehydes and Cr(III)-phen complex. The effect of the cationic surfactant, cetyl pyridinium chloride (CPC); anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and nonionic surfactant, triton X-100 (TX-100) on the unpromoted and phen-promoted path have been studied. Micellar effects have been explained by considering the preferential partitioning of reactants between the micellar and aqueous phase.