The Effect of the Weak Completing Nature of NaF,NaN3, and NaC3H3O3 Supporting Electrolytes on the Electrocatalysis of Nickel(II) Reduction in the Presence of Organic Amines

Abstract

Contrary to the results obtained in essentially noncomplexing supporting electrolyte media (NaClo₄, NaN0₃, NaCl and NaBr), the kinetic limited currents of the catalytic prewaves obtained for the polarographic reduction of Ni(II) in the presence of organic amines (o-phenylenediamine, pyridine, etc.) employing weakly complexing supporting electrolytes (NaF, NaN₃, and NaC₂H₃O₂) do not correlate with ?₂ potentials as predicted by simple double layer theory. However, the limiting current does correlate with the ligand exchange rates for Ni(H₂O)₅X⁺ type complexes (where X = F^?, N₃ ^? and C₂H₃O₂ ^?) with an organic ligand. These results lead to a general mechanism for the electrocatalysis mechanism of Ni(II) reduction.