Kinetics and mechanism of vanadium(IV) oxidation by tetrabutylammonium tribromide

The reaction between tetrabutylammonium tribromide(TBATB) and vanadium(IV) has been studied in 50% (v/v) acetic acid under second order conditions. The overall order of reaction is found to be two, unity in each reactant. The reaction involves two single-electron transfer steps generating bromine free radical in the first rate determining step. The test for the formation of free radicals in presence of added acrylonitrile was negative while added toluene increases the rate of the reaction considerably due to its conversion into benzyl bromide. The reaction is retarded by hydrogen ions as a result of protonation prior equilibria of the active reductant, vanadyl acetate. The oxidation of the vanadylsalen complex by TBATB proceeds more rapidly than that of vanadyl acetate but follows the similar kinetic behaviour. Considerable decrease in the entropy of activation of the reaction indicates formation of an ordered transition state between the two reactants and since the kinetic behaviour remains unaltered, even after the change in the ligand attached to the reductant, indicates an interaction between the reactants through the oxygen atom on the vanadyl ion.