Kinetics of Ag(I) catalyzed oxidation of amino acids by peroxomonosulphate

Silver(I) catalyzed oxidation of amino acids such as glycine and α-alanine by peroxomonosulphate (PMS) in aqueous perchloric acid medium was found to be first order in [peroxomonosulphate] and fractional order in [amino acid] and [Ag(I)]. The rate equation was derived by assuming equilibrium formation of adduct between amino acids and Ag(I). This adduct was presumed to react with PMS in a slow step to yield (adduct)2+, which was self-oxidized in a fast step to give the products. The kinetic results revealed that silver catalyzed reaction occurred approximately 104 times faster than the uncatalyzed reaction and this is attributed to the formation of (adduct)2+. The bimolecular rate constant (k) for the slow step and the activation parameters were calculated and the results are discussed.