Interaction of Chromium(III) Complex of Glycylphenylalanine with Ninhydrin in Aqueous and Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide (CTAB) Micellar Media

In this paper, we are reporting the influence of cationic CTAB surfactant on the interaction of chromium(III) complex of glycylphenylalanine [Cr(III)-Gly-Phe](2+) with ninhydrin under varying experimental conditions. The reaction follows irreversible first-order reaction kinetics with respect to [complex] and fractional-order with respect to [ninhydrin]. With progressive increase in [CTAB], the rate constant (k(Psi)) for condensation of ninhydrin into [Cr(III)-Gly-Phe](2+) complex increased, reached a maximum value, and then decreased. The results are best accounted for by the distribution of substrate into micellar and aqueous pseudo-phases as well as combination of substrate molecules with surfactant molecule. On the basis of above results, template mechanism has been discussed.