Nitrous acid as a source of NO and NO(2) in the reaction with a macrocyclic superoxorhodium(III) complex

The title reaction takes place according to the stoichiometry 2L(2)RhOO(2+) + 3HNO(2) + H(2)O --> 2L(2)Rh(OH(2))(3+) + 3NO(3)(-) + H(+) (L(2) = meso-Me(6)-[14]ane-N(4)). The kinetics are second order in HNO(2) and independent of the concentration of L(2)RhOO(2+), rate = (k(1) + k(2)[H(+)])[HNO(2)](2), where k(1) = 10.9 M(-1) s(-1) and k(2) = 175 M(-2) s(-1) at 25 degrees C and 0.10 M ionic strength. The reaction produces two observable intermediates, the nitrato (L(2)RhONO(2)(2+)) and hydroperoxo (L(2)RhOOH(2+)) complexes. The product analysis and kinetics are indicative of the initial rate-controlling formation of NO and NO(2), both of which react rapidly with L(2)RhOO(2+) in subsequent steps. The reaction with NO produces mainly L(2)RhONO(2)(2+), which hydrolyzes to L(2)Rh(OH(2))(3+) and NO(3)(-). Another minor pathway generates the hydroperoxo complex, which was detected by its known reaction with Fe(aq)(2+). The reaction of NO(2) with L(2)RhOO(2+) requires an additional equivalent of HNO(2) and produces L(2)Rh(OH(2))(3+) and NO(3)(-) via a proposed peroxynitrato complex L(2)RhOONO(2)(2+). This work provides strong evidence for the long-debated reaction between HNO(2) and H(2)NO(2)(+) to generate N(2)O(3).