Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Concurrent electrophilic and oxidative pathways for reactions of. cap alpha. -hydroxyalkyl and. cap alpha. -alkoxyalkyl complexes of chromium(III) with mercury(II) ions

Journal Article · · J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ja00400a041· OSTI ID:6040848
The reactions of Hg/sup 2 +/ with a number of ..cap alpha..-hydroxyalkyl and ..cap alpha..-alkoxyalkyl complexes of chromium(III) were studied. The lowest members of both series, CrCH/sub 2/OH/sup 2 +/ and CrCH/sub 2/OCH/sub 3//sup 2 +/, react with Hg/sup 2 +/ in an acid-independent electrophilic substitution reaction with the reaction constant rho = 10. The organomercurials formed are unstable and decompose rapidly to yield Hg/sup 0/. All the other organochromium complexes studied react with Hg/sup 2 +/ in acid-dependent electron-transfer reactions. (..cap alpha..-Hydroxyisopropyl(chromium ion, CrC(CH/sub 3/)/sub 2/OH/sup 2 +/, undergoes a one-electron transfer reaction, producing Cr/sup 2 +/ and Hg/sup +/ with k (M/sup -1/ s/sup 1/) = 166 + 467/(H/sup +/), while (..cap alpha..-ethoxyethyl)chromium ion, CrCH(CH/sub 3/)OC/sub 2/H/sub 5//sup 2 +/, reacts in a two-electron redox process, yielding Cr/sup 3 +/ and Hg/sup 0/, k (M/sup -1/s/sup -1/) = 0.535/(H/sup +/). (..cap alpha..-Hydroxyethyl)chromium ion, CrCH(CH)/sub 3/OH/sup 2 +/ reacts by both routes, k(M/sup -1/ s/sup -1/) = 4.11/(H/sup +/), with approx. 15% participation from the one-electron path and approx. 85% from the two-electron path. The effect of Cr/sup 2 +/ and Co(NH/sub 3/)/sub 5/F/sup 2 +/ (a specific scavenger for Cr/sup 2 +/) on the kinetics and stoichiometry of the reactions is discussed.
Research Organization:
Ames Lab., IA
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-82
OSTI ID:
6040848
Journal Information:
J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Am. Chem. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 103:10; ISSN JACSA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English