A KINETIC-STUDY OF THE DECOMPOSITION OF N-BROMOSERINE

This article reports the kinetics of the decomposition of N‐bromoserine formed rapidly by bromation of serine by BrO−. The main decomposition products are glycolaldehyde, ammonia, carbon dioxide, and bromide ions at pH < 11.5, and β‐hydroxypyruvic acid, ammonia, and bromide ions at pH > 11.5. The reaction is of order one with respect to N‐bromoserine, and is independent of ionic strength and excess serine. The rate constant increases with increasing pH at pH > 11 and with decreasing pH at pH < 8, and over the range pH 8–11 has the constant value 1.67 × 10−3 s−1 at 298 K. Copyright © 1990 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.