Kinetics of the solvolysis of chloropentacyanocobaltate (III) ions in mixtures of ethane-1,2-diol or ethanonitrile with water

The kinetics of the solvolysis of Co(CN)₅Cl]^3? ions have been investigated in mixtures formed by the addition of ethane-1,2-diol or ethanonitrile to water where the physical properties indicate little enhancement of structure in water-rich conditions. The effect on the kinetics of this solvolysis of this lack of structural change in the solvent shows in the linearity of the variation of log (rate constant) with the reciprocal of the dielectric constant for the addition of ethane-1,2-diol to water and the absence of any prominent extrema in the enthalpy or entropy of activation using either co-solvent. However, the effect of changes in solvation on the solvolysis with these two co-solvents appears to operate in a similar manner to the effects found when the hydrophobic co-solvent propan-2-ol is added to water. The application of a free energy cycle to the process of the initial state going to the transition state for this dissociative process suggests that, with both co-solvents, Co(CN)₅]^2? in the transition state is more stable than Co(CN)₅Cl]^3? in the initial state. © John Wiley & Sons, Inc.