Electroreduction of Ammonia and Hydroxyammonia Complexes of Divalent Metals: Effect of the Ligand Concentration and the EDL Structure

Kinetics and mechanism of electroreduction of complexes Pd(NH₃)₄ ²⁺ on a dropping mercury electrode (DME) and a Pd electrode, as well as ammonia complexes of Co(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II) and hydroxyammonia complexes of Zn(II) on DME at different concentrations of ammonia and supporting electrolytes and different pH values are discussed. The half-wave potentials of electroreduction of ammonia complexes of Pd(II) and Ni(II) on DME in the absence of a polarographic maximum obey an equation that takes into account the effect the EDL structure has on the rate of a slow outer-sphere electrochemical stage. As opposed to Pd(II) complexes, the reduction of the other complexes involves preceding reversible chemical stages, which yield diammonia complexes undergoing a direct reduction on DME. The reasons for the emergence of a polarographic maximum upon an increase in the concentration of reduced complexes and the time of recording an instant current are discussed.