Abstract
Kinetics and mechanism for alkaline hydrolysis of C. I. Disperse Blue 79(B-79) which is 4-N, N-diacetoxyethyl-2-acylamino-5-ethoxy -2′-bromo-4′,6′-dinitroazobenzene were investigated. The color strength of B-79 in acetone/water solutions of various NaOH concentrations decreased continuously. The hydrolysis rate of B-79 increased with increasing alkali concentration and appeared following first order reaction. The observed rate constants for various concentrations of B-79 showed similar values, and B-79 was hydrolyzed by first order reaction for dye concentration. Therefore, it was confirmed that the overall reaction follow second order kinetics and proceed via S/sub n/2 reaction. From the study on kinetics and spectrometric analysis, it was proposed that the rate determining step of the hydrolysis reaction of B-79 is the nucleophilic substitution reaction - that is the reaction of the rapid attack of $OH^{-}$ on the carbon atom, which is in acceptor ring, adjacent to azo group to break the C-N bond. And it was also found that the final hydrolysis products of B-79 include both the acceptor ring in the form of sodium salt and the donor ring possessing 4-N,N-dihydroxyethyl group converted from 4-N,N-diacetoxyethyl group.