Electrooxdation of Tricarbonyl(N,N-Diphenylcyclohexadienecarboxamide)Iron Complexes. Reversibility of Electron Transfer and Free Energy Change

Qualitative and quantitative criteria of irreversibility of electron transfer in cyclic voltammetry (CV) of tricarbonyl(N,N-diphenylcyclohexadienecarboxamide)iron complexes were investigated. The measurement of the heterogeneous rate constants for electron transfer according to CV data over an extended range of free energy change ( ΔG) for these complexes are described. Kinetic analyses of the electrochemical technique demonstrates that when the applied potential exceeds the standard potential E°, the experimental rate constant k_e represents an accurate measurement of the intrinsic rate constant k₁ for electron transfer. However, as the applied potential is less than E°, the reversibility of the electron-transfer process becomes increasingly more important, and the rate constants for reverse electron transfer k_-t and decomposition k₂ of the electrogenerated intermediate have to be taken into account.