A Raman Spectral Study of the Kinetics of Hydrolysis of Acetonitrile Catalyzed by Hg(II)

Raman spectroscopy has been employed to follow the relatively slow rate of hydrolysis of acetonitrile, catalyzed by mercury(II). Raman lines at 2275 and 2305 cm−1 are characteristic of CH3CN bound to Hg2+, and are distinct from lines of bulk solvent. The intensities of these new lines decrease with time. From the intensities, concentrations of bound acetonitrile, [CH3CN]B were calculated for a time span of 400 min. The data fit a second order rate law: Rate = k[CH3CN]B[H2O]. The specific rate constant, k, obtained from four sets of data for the system Hg(ClO4)2–CH3CN–H2O equals 1.05 ± 0.06 × 10−4 mol−1 1 min−1 at 25 °C. The energy of activation is 18.9 kcal mol−1. In the proposed mechanism water molecules attack acetonitrile molecules which are bound to Hg2+ and form a mercury(II)–acetamide complex. Raman lines characteristic of this species are observed. This species slowly converts to mercury(II) ammine complexes and acetic acid. Anions which coordinate with Hg2+ more strongly than CH3CN, such as nitrate or acetate, slow or prevent the hydrolysis reaction.