Kinetics of dissociation of molecular oxygen from a superoxorhodium(III) complex and reactivity of a macrocyclic rhodium(II) ion

The kinetics of disappearance of the superoxorhodium complex L2(H2O)RhOO2+ (L2 = meso-hexamethylcyclam) were determined in the presence of several oxidants (H2O2, (NH3)5CoBr2+, and IrCl62-) in both air-free and air-saturated aqueous solutions. Under air-free conditions, the reaction obeyed first-order kinetics. After the correction for the appropriate stoichiometric factors, the value of the rate constant kh was the same irrespective of the oxidant, kh = 2.18 (+/-0.37) x 10(-4) s(-1) at 25.0 degrees C in acidic solutions. The disappearance of L2(H2O)RhOO2+ was slower in the presence of O2. All the data suggest a sequence of reactions beginning with homolytic dissociation of O2 from L2(H2O)RhOO2+, followed by capture of the newly generated L2(H2O)Rh2+ by added oxidants in competition with O2. The equilibrium constant for O2 binding by L2(H2O)Rh2+ is 109-fold greater than that for the cobalt analogue. This difference is attributed to the lower reduction potential of the rhodium complex.