Effects of aminoacids on the autooxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol in the presence of surface-active copper(II) complexes

The rate of autooxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (3,5-DTBC) in the presence of micelles formed from mixing equal concentrations of [Cu(C(12)-tmed)Br(2)] (where C(12)-tmed is N,N,N'-trimethyl-N'-dodecylethylenediamine) and several amino acids has been investigated. It was found that the rate in air-saturated solution is very much dependent on pH, which affects the availability of copper(II) coordination site for the catechol and the degree of micellization. At a given pH, the rates in [Cu(C(12)-tmed)Br(2)] micellar media are greatly enhanced in the presence sodium halide.