Oxidation of Cu(II) aminopolycarboxylates by carbonate radical: A flash photolysis study

Reactions of carbonate radical (Co₃ ⁻) generated by photolysis or by radiolysis of a carbonate solution, with Cu(II) complexes of aminopolycarboxylic acids viz., Cu(II)ethylenediamine tetraacetate Cu^IIEDTA]²⁻ and Cu(II)-iminodiacetate Cu^IIIDA] were studied at pH 10. 5 and ionic strength 0.2 mol·dm⁻³. Time-resolved spectroscopy and kinetics for the transients were studied using flash photolysis and stable products arising from the ligand degradation of the complex were ascertained by steady-state radiolysis experiments. From the kinetic data it is observed that CO₃ ⁻, radical reacts initially with Cu^II-complex to form a transient intermediate having maximum absorption at 335 nm and 430 nm. From the subsequent reactions of this intermediate it was assigned to be Cu^III. species. This Cu(III) species undergoes intermolecular electron transfer with the Cu^II-complex to give a radical intermediate which again slowly reacts with Cu^II-complex to give a long lived species containing Cu−C bond. This long lived species, however, slowly decomposed to give glyoxalic reaction between Cu^III-complex and a suitable donor, the one electron reduction potential for Cu^IIIEDTA]¹⁻/Cu^IIEDTA]²⁻ and Cu^IIIIDA]⁺¹/Cu^IIIDA was determined.