Kinetics of the dissolution of copper metal in aqueous solutions containing unsaturated organic ligands and copper(II)

The kinetics of the dissolution of copper metal in an aqueous solution containing copper(II) and an unsaturated organic ligand was followed by using an automated flow-injection analysis technique to determine the concentration of copper(I) in solution as a function of time. The results suggest that the rate of dissolution of the copper metal is dependent on electron transfer between the copper(II) and copper atoms on the surface of the copper metal, and on the stabilization of copper(I) by the unsaturated organic ligand in solution.