An autocatalyst is a catalyst which participates in autocatalysis.

In autocatalysis, the reaction is catalysed by one of its products.

An autoactivation is another word for autocatalysis, the catalysis of a reaction by one of its products.

It is a reaction between negatively charged ions so they repel each other. For the reaction to work it is first heated, the Mno4- reacts with the Mn2+ produced to form Mn3+. The Mn3+ then reacts with the ethanedoate to form co2 and Mn2+. This is an example of autocatalysis.

As the reaction proceeds the concentrations of the reagents are not known. However, at the start of the reaction the initial concentration of the reagents IS known.

Any orders that are calculated from average rates may not take into account such factors as autocatalysis or any mechanistic change due to concentration effects.

Initial rates allow more reliable information to be determined regarding orders, activation energies and possible mechanisms (which is the ultimate aim of reaction kinetics)