Redox method for the determination of stability constants of some trivalent metal complexes

Abstract

Stability constants determination of very stable metal complexes using the redox method, based on the equilibrium of Fe 3+ Fe 2+ followed by a couple of platinum/reference electrodes, was undertaken and tested to complexes of some trivalent metal ions with well known polyaminopolycarboxymethylated linear ligands (edta, nta, cdta, dtpa and ttha) and also to some new macrocyclic ligands. SUPERQUAD program was used for the calculations, after adaptation of the experimental data. The method proved to be very useful for Fe 3+ and In 3+ complexes, if no polynuclear complexes are formed or/and if the kinetics of the complexation reaction is not very slow. However, for the Ga 3+ complexes the applicability of this method is very limited and the competition with OH − using the displacement reaction which occurs at pH higher than 6 with formation of Ga(OH) 4 − seems to give more accurate results. A complete data of stability constants for the case of the complexes of ttha with In 3+ is given.