| Abstract: | The kinetics of the permanganate‐hypophosphite redox reaction has been studied over a wide range of pH by using a stopped‐flow technique. It has been found that the reaction leads to the formation of phosphite and orthophosphate, and that the molar ratio of the final products depends on pH. The proposed mechanism of the process was based on the assumption that the first step in the oxidation of hypophosphite is a fast reversible reaction in which an intermediate complex (O3MnOH2PO2)2− is formed. The observed dependence of the reaction rate on pH was attributed to the influence of hydrogen and hydroxyl ions on the decomposition of this complex. The rate constants and the equilibrium constants of elementary reactions are given. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 31: 737–743, 1999 |
