Ligand effect on the kinetics of hydroperoxochromium(III)-oxochromium(V) transformation and the lifetime of chromium(V)

A macrocyclic superoxochromium complex L(2)(H(2)O)CrOO(2+)(L(2)=meso-Me(6)-14]aneN(4)) is generated from L(2)Cr(H(2)O)(2)(2+) and O(2) with k(on)=(2.80 +/- 0.07)x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1). One-electron reduction of L(2)(H(2)O)CrOO(2+) produces a transient hydroperoxo complex that readily undergoes intramolecular conversion to L(2)Cr(v), k(1)= 1.00 +/- 0.01 s(-1) in acidic aqueous solutions, and 0.273 +/- 0.010 s(-1) at pH >7, with an apparent pK(a) of 5.9. The decay of L(2)Cr(v) in the pH range 1.3-6.2 obeys the rate law, -dL(2)Cr(v)]/dt= (0.0080 (+/- 0.0049)+ 8.19 (+/- 0.13)H(+)])L(2)Cr(v)]. Both the kinetics of formation and lifetime of L(2)Cr(v) are significantly different from those for the closely related 14]aneN(4) complex. The X-ray structure of the parent Cr(iii) complex, L(2)Cr(H(2)O)(2)](ClO(4))(3).4H(2)O, shows that the macrocyclic ligand adopts the most stable, "two up-two down" configuration around the nitrogens.