Abstract
Autoxidation of ascorbic acid starts with the dehydrogenation reaction of OH^- which binds 2C-3C and decomposition is accelerated by the activition of the di-radical. Kinetic analysis was carried out according to the theory of elecrochemical transfer coefficient of hydrogen ion. It was found that the oxidation of ascorbic acid is most active at pH 4.0. The decomposition mechanism of ascorbic acid is greatly inf1uenced by pH when oxidation or reduction is involved. The decomposition of ascorbic is assumed to occur in 2 ways, mamely, by either by H^+ of OH in 2C-3C being withdrawn as proton, as mentioned above, or H-attacking the π electrons of the oxygen in the lactone system.
