Abstract: The hydrolysis of 3-carboxyaspirin (1) was kinetically investigated in the presence or absence of tri-or divalent metal ions. The spontaneous hydrolysis of the neutral and the monoanionic forms of 1 involves anhydride intermediates formed by the nucleophilic attack of the carboxyl group at the ester linkage, while that of the dianionic form of 1 proceeds through the general-base catalysis by the carboxylate ion in the attack of a water molecule ...
