Iodide-ion-induced oscillations of the ferroin-catalyzed Belousov—Zhabotinskii reaction

Abstract

Contrary to “classical” Belousov—Zhabotinskii (BZ) oscillatory systems, consisting of malonic acid, Ce(IV)—Ce(III) or Mn(III)—Mn(II) redox catalyst and KBrO 3 in solutions of H 2SO 4, where in an interval of added iodide initial concentrations 10 −4 mol dm −3 < [I −] 0 < 10 −3 mol dm −3 the oscillations have the same frequency and amplitude as in the absence of iodide, the effect of added iodide on the ferroin-catalyzed BZ system with methyl ester of 3-oxobutanoic acid leads to an increase in the number of oscillations and in the time of their duration. The dependence of this effect on substrate, bromate, iodide, sulfuric acid and ferroin concentrations has been studied. The observations may be explained by a mechanism involving direct reduction of ferroin by iodide, oxidation of iodide to iodate by bromate with a bromide production and eventual faster bromination and iodination of methyl ester of 3-oxobutanoic acid in relation to malonic acid.