Hydrolysis of schiff bases, 1: Kinetics and mechanism of spontaneous, acid, and base hydrolysis of N‐(2/4‐hydroxybenzylidene)‐2‐aminobenzothiazoles

Abstract The rate of hydrolysis of title schiff bases was studied in the pH range 4–13 in 10% dioxanewater system, CTAB, NaLS micellar solutions. The hydrolysis was found to be due to ‘water’ and ‘hydroxide’ reactions and hence the rate constants in different pH were computed and analyzed with an intermediate involving a water molecule being positioned with the help of 2‐OH group and the thiazolyl C–N pi bond. The ‘hydroxide’ reaction was due to a direct nucleophilic attack of hydroxide ion at the aldimine linkage of the reactant. The influence of cationic and anionic micelles supports the mechanistic picture in the entire pH range.