Ruthenium(III) catalysis in the reaction of hexacyanoferrate(III) and iodide ions in perchloric acid medium

RuCl₃ can further catalyze the reaction between hexacyanoferrate(III) and iodide ions, which is already catalyzed by the hydrogen ions obtained from perchloric acid. Rate, when the reaction is catalyzed only by the hydrogen ions, was separated graphically from the rate when ruthenium(III) and H⁺ ions both catalyze the reaction. Reactions studied separately in the presence as well as in the absence of RuCl₃ under similar conditions were found to follow second order kinetics w.r.t. [I⁻]. While the rate showed direct proportionality w.r.t. [Fe(CN)₆]³⁻ and [RuCl₃]. At low concentrations the reaction shows direct proportionality with respect to [H⁺] which tends to become proportional to the square of hydrogen ion concentrations. External addition of [Fe(CN)₆]⁴⁻ ions retards the reaction velocity while change in ionic strength of the medium has no effect on the rate. With the help of the intercept of the catalyst graph, extent of the reaction, which takes place without adding ruthenium(III) was calculated and it was in accordance with the values obtained from the separately studied reaction in which only H⁺ ions catalyze the reaction. It is proposed that ruthenium forms a complex, which slowly disproportionates into the rate-determining step. Arrhenius parameters at four different temperatures were also calculated.