Cyanate ion stability was studied in aqueous/ethanolic solutions, pH = 4.5 (CH3COOH/NaCH3COO), at different temperatures. Following the decay [(OCN)-] versus time, in the presence of excess C2H5OH, the rate constant for this reaction (k1) was calculated as (2.5 ± 0.3) x 10-4 s-1 at 25 ºC, for 0 < [C2H5OH] < 13.7 x 10-1 mol L-1. For [C2H5OH] > 2.0 mol L-1 a decrease in the numerical value of k1 was observed, reaching 5.2 x 10-5 s-1 when [CH3CH2OH] = 13.7 mol L-1. Variations in the kinetic parameter values ΔH1‡, ΔS1‡ and ΔG1‡ for the cyanate ion decay reaction were observed for solutions at different ethanol concentrations.
cyanate ion; ethyl carbamate formation; aqueous
