The influence of pH on the reaction between tartaric acid and metaperiodic acid

Abstract

Tartaric acid in phosphate buffer (pH 6.6) at 30º consumed 2,003 ± 0.001 molar proportions of periodic acid in 2.5 hr. The reaction has been shown to be of second order. It is suggested that the oxidation proceeds through the disproportionation of a coordination compound intermediate involving the bitartrate and IO₄ or H₄IO₄ ions, followed by the subsequent slow oxidation of glyoxylic acid to give formic acid.