On the mechanism of interaction between copper (I) and O2

The mechanism of the interaction of Cu⁺-α,α-dipyridyl complex (Cu⁺L₂) with O₂ in both neutral and acid media was studied by the stopped-flow method. The dependence of the mechanism on the acidity of the medium was established. In an acid medium H⁺ participated in a direct O₂ reduction to HO₂ by interaction with an oxygen adduct L₂Cu⁺O₂ formed without displacement of ligand molecules. In a neutral medium the reaction rate was limited by inner sphere charge transfer from Cu⁺ to O₂ to form an oxygen “charge transfer” complex L₂CuO⁺₂. The latter interacted either with the second ion Cu⁺L₂ or with the free ligand, or else it dissociated, reversibly or irreversibly, to form a radical anion O^?₂. The bimolecular rate constants of the oxygen “adduct” and “charge transfer” complex formation appeared to be k_bi = (1.0 ± 0.1) × 10⁵ and (1.5 ± 0.2) × 10⁴M^?1?sec^?1, respectively. The effective termolecular rate constants of O₂ reduction to HO₂ in an acid medium (with contribution from H⁺) and to O^?₂ in a neutral medium (with contribution from α,α-dipyridyl) were k_ter = 2.7 × 10⁸ and 10⁷M^?2?sec^?1. The rate constants of the elementary steps were estimated. The auto-oxidation mechanism of the aquoion and complexes of Cu⁺ is discussed in terms of the results obtained.