OXIDATION OF SUCROSE BY POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE. 7 A 
THE OXIDATION OF SUCROSH BY POTASSIUM 
PHERMANGANATH. 
By C. W. R. POWELL. 
Science Research Scholar, University of Sydney. 
(Communicated by Prof. Fawsirt.) 
[Read before the Royal Society of N. S. Wales, July 1, 1914. ] 
ATTENTION has been drawn at various times to the reaction 
which ensues when potassium permanganate is added to an 
acid solution of sucrose. The reaction, which for certain 
concentrations is very rapid, results in the formation of 
manganese and potassium salts and various organic acids, 
but there is not general agreement as to the nature of the 
acids produced. In most cases it is probable that saccharic 
and tartaric acids are produced, while oxalic, citric, formic, 
carbonic and other acids are also formed under suitable 
conditions." Maumené? has found that acids having the 
formulae, O;2H12014, Cio2Hi2O1e and CeHeOc¢ are also formed. 
It was noticed by the author that this reaction between 
sucrose and potassium permanganate in acid solution did 
not proceed at a constant rate, but that the velocity of 
reaction gradually increased as the reaction proceeded. 
The increase in the velocity ‘‘constants’’ was noticed 
whether the calculation of the constants took place accord- 
ing to the first or second order formule. This could only 
be explained by supposing that either subsidiary reactions 
exerted a growing influence as the reaction proceeded or 
that some substance was being formed which had an accler- 
ative efiect on the main reaction, which consists of the 
splitting up of the molecules of sucrose and potassium 
1 Chem. News, 72, 257, 1895. 7” C.R., 1895, 783. 
