Kinetics and mechanism of the reaction betweencis-dichlorobisbipyridineruthenium(II) and nitric acid in water-methanol solutions

Summary The kinetics of the reaction betweencis-dichlorobisbipyridineruthenium(II) and nitric acid have been investigated spectrophotometrically in the 25°–40° range in the presence of 0.03 to 0.2 mol dm^–3 HNO₃. The reaction proceeds with the stepwise formation of monoaqua and diaqua products. Only the formation of the monoaqua intermediate was followed as this species could not be obtained in a pure state. Aquation proceeds through a dissociative process. The second order rate constants are 11.8 (25°), 17.5 (30°); 30.0 (35°) l mol^–1 s^–1. Activation parameters are H 52±3 kJ mol^–1; S–108±8 JK^–1 mol^–1.