Kinetics and mechanism of oxidation of the binary and ternary complexes of chromium(III) involving inosine and glycine by N -bromosuccinimide

The kinetics of oxidation of the chromium(III) complexes, Cr(Ino)(H₂O)₅]³⁺ and Cr(Ino)(Gly)(H₂O)₃]²⁺ (Ino?=?Inosine and Gly?=?Glycine) involving a ligands of biological significance by N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) in aqueous solution to chromium(VI) have been studied spectrophotometrically over the 25–45°C range. The reaction is first order with respect to both NBS] and Cr], and increases with pH over the 6.64–7.73 range in both cases. The experimental rate law is consistent with a mechanism in which the hydroxy complexes Cr(Ino)(H₂O)₄(OH)]²⁺ and Cr(Ino)(Gly)(H₂O)₂(OH)]⁺ are significantly more reactive than their conjugate acids. The value of the intramolecular electron transfer rate constant, k ₁, for the oxidation of the Cr(Ino)(H₂O)₅]³⁺ (6.90?×?10^?4?s^?1) is lower than the value of k ₂ (9.66?×?10^?2?s^?1) for the oxidation of Cr(Ino)(Gly)(H₂O)₂]²⁺ at 35°C and I?=?0.2?mol?dm^?3. The activation parameters have been calculated. Electron transfer apparently takes place via an inner-sphere mechanism.