PHOTO-REACTION BETWEEN IODINE AND SALTS OF CARBOXYLIC ACIDS IN PRESENCE OF METAL IONS AS CATALYSTS

Photo-reaction between aqueous solutions of salts of hydroxy-carboxylic acids and iodine at appreciable rates takes place only in the presence of traces of certain metallic salts. An essential feature of these reactions is the formation of complex anions containing the metal. The kinetics, measured by the rate of disappearance of free iodine in the system, is the net result of a series of complicated simultaneous reactions, an outline of which is given.

The results indicate the existence in aqueous solution of a number of co-ordination complex salts of metals with hydroxy-carboxylic acids under conditions which require further investigation