Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Light-driven Enzymatic Decarboxylation
Published on: May 22, 2016
Kinetic investigation of the autocatalytic reaction between potassium permanganate and hydrogen peroxide with
Yanyan Li1, Yi Zhao, Zhongliang Zhu
1Department of Chemistry, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China.
Abstract:
The complex autocatalytic reaction between potassium permanganate (KMnO(4)) and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) was studied by online UV-Vis spectra methods. The kinetic profiles of the absorptive components, including KMnO(4) and two intermediates, were obtained by resolving the spectra-kinetic matrix with iterative target transformation factor analysis (ITTFA). But for the product Mn(II), which is not absorptive in the monitoring wavelength range, this was not applicable. Therefore, local mass balance region (LMBR) technique was proposed to get all of the scaled profiles, especially the non-absorptive components. Influences of various reaction conditions, such as concentrations of H(2)O(2) and sulfuric acid (H(2)SO(4)) and reaction temperatures, were also investigated. Contrary to most other reactions, when initial concentrations of hydrogen peroxide ([H(2)O(2)](0)) are largely excessive ([H(2)O(2)](0)/[KMnO(4)](0) >40), higher [H(2)O(2)](0) will decrease the degradation rate, while the higher temperature makes the reaction go much slower.
Related Concept Videos
Oxidation of Alkenes: Syn Dihydroxylation with Potassium Permanganate
Catalysis
Catalysis
Autoxidation of Ethers to Peroxides and Hydroperoxides
Radical Anti-Markovnikov Addition to Alkenes: Mechanism
The mechanism starts with chain initiation, which involves two steps. In the first chain initiation step, a weak peroxide bond is homolytically cleaved upon mild heating to form two alkoxy radicals. In the second initiation step, a hydrogen atom is abstracted by the alkoxy radical...
Regioselectivity of Electrophilic Additions-Peroxide Effect

