Studies of the reaction of the hydroxyl radical with the oxalate ion in an acidic aqueous solution by pulse radiolysis

The reaction of the · OH radical with the oxalate ion in an acidic aqueous solution was studied by pulse radiolysis. The rate constant for the reaction of formation of the radical HOOC-COO·(λmax = 250 nm, ɛ = 1800 L mol−1 cm−1) is (5.0±0.5)·107 L mol−1 s−1. In the reaction with the hydrogen ion (k = 1.1·107 L mol−1 s−1), the radical HOOC-COO· is transformed into a nonidentified radical designated arbitrarily as H+(HOOC-COO)· (λmax = 260 nm, ɛ = 4000 L mol−1 cm−1).