ACID HYDROLYSIS OF ACETAMIDE

The kinetics of the acid-catalysed hydrolysis of acetamide has been studied in water and in mixtures of water and miscible organic solvents. The acids used are nitric and hydrochloric which have been found to behave similarly. Since the acid hydrolysis is somewhat slow, high concentrations of the acids have been used and the rate has been observed to go through a maximum as the concentration of the acid is increased. Replacement of a part of water by organic solvents has very lathe effect on the concentration of the acid responsible for the maximum velocity. Probable mechanism of hvdrolysis has been discussed.