Reaction Between L-Glutamic Acid and Ninhydrin: Role of Organic Solvents and CTAB Micelles

The cationic micelles of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) have been found to catalyse the reaction between L-glutamic acid and ninhydrin. The product spectra show peaks at 400 and 570 nm in each medium indicating formation of the same species. A kinetic study of the reaction has been made in aqueous, aqueous-organic and micellar media. Under the pseudo-first-order conditions of excess ninhydrin, the reaction rate was first-order in [glutamic] acid and fractional order in [ninhydrin] both in aqueous and micellar media. The kinetic data in micellar medium have been analysed using the pseudo-phase model. Furthermore, the reaction is catalysed by organic solvents.