Tween-80 catalysis in the oxidation of methionine and proline by alkaline hexacyanoferrate(III)

The rate of oxidation of methionine and proline by alkaline hexacyanoferrate(III), which was extremely slow in absence of any catalyst, has been found to be highly accelerated by a non-ionic surfactant viz.Tween-80. The rate of reaction is directly proportional to each [Tween-80] and [Fe(CN)6−3]. The order of reaction in [Aminoacid] or [OH−] decreases from unity at their higher concentrations. Kinetic data support that the surfactant participate directly in the reaction as a catalyst, forms a complex with substrate through hydrogen bonding/hydrophobic interaction and in presence of oxidant i.e. hexacyanoferrate(III) regenerated in the end of reaction.