Kinetics and mechanistic studies of oxidation of fluoroquionoline antibacterial agent norfloxacin by diperiodatocuprate(III) in aqueous alkaline medium

The kinetics of the oxidation of norfloxacin by diperiodatocuprate(III) in aqueous alkaline medium has been studied spectrophotometrically at 300 K and at constant ionic strength of 0.20 mol dm-3. The oxidation products were identified by LC-ESI-MS technique and other spectral studies. The stoichiometry was found to be 1: 2 ([NOR]:[DPC]. The active species of DPC is understood to be as monoperiodatocuprate(III). A suitable mechanism was proposed on the basis of experimental results. The reaction constants involved in the different steps of the reaction mechanism were calculated. The activation parameters with respect to the slow step of mechanism were determined and discussed.