Kinetics and mechanism of tris-quinolinatochromium(III) aquation in HClO4 media

Abstract

The chromium(III)-quinolinato complexes, [Cr(quinH)3]0, [Cr(quinH)2(H2O)2]+ and [Cr(quinH)(H2O)4]2+ (where quinH = N,O-bonded quinolinic acid anion), were obtained and characterized in solution. The tris-quinolinato complex undergoes acid-catalyzed aquation to give the diaqua-product, whereas subsequent ligand liberation processes are exceptionally slow. Kinetics of the aquation were studied spectrophotometrically over the 0.1–1.0 M HClO4 range, at I = 1.0 M. The first aquation stage, the chelate-ring opening at the Cr-N bond, is much faster than the second one. The following rate laws were established: kobs = k1 + k−1/Q1[H+] and kobs = k2Q2[H+]/(1 + Q2[H+]), where k1 and k2 are the rate constants for the chelate-ring opening and the ligand liberation, respectively, k−1 is the rate constant of the chelate-ring closure, Q1 and Q2 are the protonation constants of the pyridine nitrogen and 3-carboxylate group in the one-end bonded intermediate, respectively. Kinetic parameters have been determined and the mechanism has been discussed.