Kinetics in aqueous systems.

The available literature concerning water and agueous solutions of non-electrolytes has been briefly reviewed, and an introduction to the present understanding of the gel state given. Thermodynamic properties of binary liquid mixtures have been examined, with particular emphasis being laid on the solubility of volatile substrates in such systems. Kinetics of reactions have been studied in binary aqueous media, against the theoretical background of this solubility analysis. The apparatus for two different techniques of kinetic measurement (conductivity and spectroscopy) have been described in detail, as well as methods for analysing the resulting data, based on computer calculations for rate constants and activation parameters. Experimental results for the solvolysis of t-butyl chloride in aqueous hydrogen peroxide, polyvinylpyrrolidone, urea, glycerol, propane-1, 2- diol and propane-1, 3-diol are given and discussed, along with results for the aquation and substitution reactions of tris(l ,10-phenanthroline) complexes of iron(II) in aqueous polyvinylpyrrolidone and aqueous sols and gels. Appendices include further work on gelling agents, computer programs, and tables of experimental rate constants.