Example of Pseudo-order Reactions (1)

Hydrolysis of sucrose. Sucrose upon hydrolysis in the presence of a dilute mineral acid gives glucose and fructose.

If a large excess of water is present, [H₂O] is practically constant and the rate law may be written

The reaction though of second-order is experimentally found to be first-order. Thus it is a pseudo first-order reaction. The reaction though of second-order is experimentally found to be first-order. Thus it is a pseudo first-order reaction.