The kinetics of oxidation of amitriptyline by potassium permanganate in aqueous sulphuric acid medium at 298K and at a constant ionic strength of 0.20 mol dm-3 has been investigated spectrophotometrically. The reaction exhibits 5:4 stoichiometry (5 Amitriptyline:4 KMnO 4). The reaction was first order with respect to manganese(VII) concentration. The order with respect to amitriptyline was found to be less than unity (0.80). Increase in acid concentration increased the rate. The order with respect to acid concentration was also less than unity (0.40). The effect of added products, ionic strength and dielectric constant has been studied on the rate of reaction. The oxidation products were identified by using 2, 4 DNP derivative, IR, GCMS spectral studies. A suitable mechanism was proposed on the basis of experimental results. The reaction constants involved in the different steps of the reaction mechanism were calculated. The activation parameters with respect to slow step of the mechanism was determined and discussed. INTRODUCTION: Potassium permanganate is widely used as an oxidizing agent as well as an analytical and also as disinfectant reagent. These reactions are governed by the pH of the medium. Among six oxidation states of manganese from +2 to +7, permanganate, Mn(VII), is the most potent oxidation state in acid with reduction potential 1 1.69 V of Mn(VII)/Mn(VI) couple and 1.51 V of Mn(VII)/Mn(II) couple. The oxidation by permanganate ion finds extensive applications in organic syntheses 2 .