Kinetics of the dissociation of tris(1,10-phenanthroline) iron(III) complex ion in aqueous acid solutions. A mechanistic model for product specificity

Summary The natural decay of Fe(phen) _f3 ^p3+ , where no Ce^IV is employed for scavenging the side reaction product, Fe(phen) _f3 ^p2+ , is now treated as a complex reaction involving two parallel processes, and the experimental kinetics are consistent with the rate laws derived from a mechanism that simultaneously explains the composition of the products as a function of acidity. In terms of the proposed mechanism the dissociation rate of the complex ion in acid solutions containing Ce^IV as scavenging agent is to be regarded as a Ce^IV retarded aquation rate, and OH^– is to be assigned a catalytic role in the kinetics of basic reduction.