Kinetics of aqueous base and acid hydrolysis of aldicarb, aldicarb sulfoxide and aldicarb sulfone.

The kinetics of degradation of aqueous solutions of aldicarb, aldicarb sulfoxide and aldicarb sul fone by base hydrolysis were investigated. Pseudo first order rate constants of 37 micrograms/l solutions were determined at different hydroxide concentrations by acid-base titration. Second order rate constants were calculated, and it was found that aldicarb sulfone is more sensitive to hydroxide ion concentration than aldicarb sulfoxide which is more sensitive than aldicarb. Temperature effects were determined by measuring the base hydrolysis rate constant for aldicarb sulfone at 5, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 degrees C. An activation energy of 15.2 +/- 0.1 kcal/mole was calculated. Addition of a neutral electrolyte decreased the rate constant for base hydrolysis. Acid catalyzed hydrolysis rate constants were also measured for aldicarb sulfone, and, as expected, the reaction was much slower. The second order (reaction) rate constant for base hydrolysis of aldicarb sulfone is 40.3 (+/- 0.5) liter mole-1min-1; for acid catalyzed hydrolysis it is 7.33 (+/- 0.06) X 10(-4) liter mole-1min-1.