Kinetics of procaterol auto-oxidation in buffered acid solutions

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/jps.2600760907

The kinetics of procaterol (1) degradaton in buffered acidic solutions (pH 4-6) was investigated using a HPLC procedure. The effect of temperature and ferric ions on the reaction rate was estimated. In acidic solutions, 1 undergoes pseudo first-order degradation with an induction period. The first-order rate constant for degradation increased and the induction period decreased with an increase in pH. Ferric ions catalyzed the degradation reaction and decreased the induction period. At pH 6, the activation energy of the reaction was 34.5 kcal/mol/deg. The results of this study indicate that 1 in solution is more stable at acidic pH, in the absence of heavy metal ions, and protected from air.