Oxidation of thiols in gas‐liquid systems. I. Reaction in the absence of added metal catalysts

Abstract

AbstractStudies have been made of the kinetics of the reaction with oxygen of several simple aliphatic and aromatic thiols in alkaline solution and in the absence of added metal catalysts. The results have been shown to be markedly affected by trace amounts of impurities, and the kinetics of the reaction have been measured under conditions of the minimum impurity levels obtainable. Under these conditions in the early stages of reaction, the rate law with, for example, ethanethiol has been found to be: equation image which after ≈ 10–30% of reaction changes approximately to: equation image Values of the energies of activation and pre‐exponential factors for the oxidation of ethanethiol have been determined and investigations have been made of the effect on the reaction kinetics of the efficient removal, and of the addition of trace quantities of metals.