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Novel method for the chemical generation of aliphatic radicals and its application to the kinetics of reduction of cobalt(III)-amine complexes by 2-hydroxy-2-propyl radicals

Journal Article · · Inorg. Chem.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ic00137a003· OSTI ID:6645409

Homolytic cleavage of the chromium-carbon bond in the complex (H/sub 2/O)/sub 5/CrC(CH/sub 3/)/sub 2/OH/sup 2 +/ provides a ready source of the carbon-centered radical C(CH/sub 3/)/sub 2/OH in strongly acidic solutions, pH 0 to 3. The kinetics of reaction of the radical with another substrate present in solution can be studied in competition with the recombination reaction between radical and Cr/sup 2 +/. The method was applied to a study of the reduction of several cobalt(III) complexes, with the following pH-independent rate constants at 25.0/sup 0/C: Co(NH/sub 3/)/sub 6//sup 3 +/, 4.1 x 10/sup 5/ M/sup -1/ s/sup -1/; Co(ND/sub 3/)/sub 6//sup 3 +/, 3.0 x 10/sup 5/; Co(en)/sub 3//sup 3 +/, 1.7 x 10/sup 5/; Co(tn)/sub 3//sup 3 +/, 1.9 x 10/sup 6/; Co(chxn)/sub 3//sup 3 +/, < 1 x 10/sup 4/. The mechanism of Co(NH/sub 3/)/sub 6//sup 3 +/ reduction over the entire pH range 0 to 14 has been reformulated as consisting of three pathways: (1) outer-sphere electron transfer from C(CH/sub 3/)/sub 2/OH, dominant at pH 0 to 3; (2) outer-sphere electron transfer from C(CH/sub 3/)/sub 2/O/sup -/, dominant at pH > 10; (3) reversible formation of a covalent intermediate, (NH/sub 3/)/sub 5/CoNH/sub 2/C(CH/sub 3/)/sub 2/OH/sup 2 +/, whose subsequent decomposition is the prevalent reaction at intermediate pH, pH 5 to 9. The rate constants for the first of these reactions correlate well with lambda/sub max/ and E/sup 0/ values of the Co(III) complexes and with the rate constants for the corresponding reduction by Cr(bpy)/sub 3//sup 2 +/, save for Co(chxn)/sub 3//sup 3 +/ whose low reactivity with the free radical is attributed to its conformational inflexibility. Several Cr(III) complexes-Cr(NH/sub 3/)/sub 6//sup 3 +/, Cr(urea)/sub 6//sup 3 +/, and (H/sub 2/O)/sub 5/CrCl/sup 2 +/-failed to react with C(CH/sub 3/)/sub 2/OH. 4 figures, 6 tables.

DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-82
OSTI ID:
6645409
Journal Information:
Inorg. Chem.; (United States), Journal Name: Inorg. Chem.; (United States) Vol. 21:7; ISSN INOCA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English