Kinetics and mechanisms of oxidations by metal ions. Part 17. Oxidation of formate ion by alkaline osmium tetroxide

Summary The oxidation of formate ion by alkaline osmium tetroxide, such that HCO _inf2 ^p– ] Os^VII], exhibits first-order dependence in Os^VII], an order less than unity in HCO _inf2 ^p– ], and zero-order in OH^–]. HCO^2– reacts as an ion-pair formed with an alkali metal ion and OsO₄(OH)₂]^2– is the reactive species of Os^VII. The formation of an intermediate Os^VII-HCO₂M complex is substantiated by the rapid-scan spectra of the reaction mixture. Anions (Cl^–, ClO _inf4 ^p– ) have no effect on the rate. The close agreement between the observed k _H/k _D = 7.1 and the theoretically calculated value (7.0), based on the stretching frequencies of C-H and C-D bonds in the free molecule, indicates an outer-sphere mechanism.Author to whom all correspondence should be directed.