THE CHEMISTRY OF THE AMINOCHROMES: PART V. REARRANGEMENTS IN THE PRESENCE OF SODIUM HYDROXIDE AND ZINC ACETATE

Abstract

The rates of rearrangement of several aminochromes have been measured in: (1) water, (2) aqueous sodium hydroxide, and (3) aqueous zinc acetate. The rates were found to be first order with respect to aminochrome concentration in each reaction medium, and to zinc acetate concentration. However, no simple kinetic relationship between the rate of rearrangement and alkali concentration was detected. The rate increased very rapidly with increasing alkali concentration.Mechanisms for these rearrangements are suggested, based on the influence of substituents in the 1-, 2-, and 3-positions of the aminochrome molecule on the kinetic and thermodynamic features of the reaction.