Kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of benzenediols and ascorbic acid by bis(1,4,7-triazacyciononane)nickel(III) in aqueous perchlorate media

The reactions of the outer-sphere electron transfer reagent, Ni(9-aneN3)23+, (bis(1,4,7-triazacyclononane)nickel(III) ion) with ascorbic acid, hydroquinone, catechol, and resorcinol have been investigated. The absence of any proton related equilibria with the oxidant provides a means of ascribing the observed inverse hydrogen ion dependences to reactions of the dissociated ascorbate or quinolate ions, (HA−). The data are consistent with the rate-determining one-electron transfer reactions:[Formula: see text]followed by rapid oxidation of the radical ions formed. In the reaction with ascorbic acid, k1 ~ 0 and k2 (T = 25° C) = 5.2 × 106 M−1 s−1 (ΔH≠ = 10.1 ± 2.5 kcal mol−1, ΔS≠ = 5.7 ± 5.1 cal mol−1 K−1). For hydroquinone, catechol, and resorcinol, k1 = 2.9 × 103, 2.8 × 102, and ~0 M−1 s−1and k2 = 6.9 × 109, 4.1 × 109, and 2.8 × 108 M−1 s−1, respectively. These data have been combined with those from other similar reactions leading, by use of a Marcus correlation, to self-exchange rate constants for the HAsc−/HAsc• couple of 3.5 × 105 M−1 s−1 and for the H2Quin0/+ and H2cat0/+ systems of 5 × 107 and 2 × 107 M−1 s−1, respectively. The importance of the effect of bond-reorganisation on electron transfer is discussed.