Thermoanalytical study of linkage isomerism in coordination compounds

The non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) experiments revealed that linkage isomerization of both pure trans-[Co(en)₂(ONO)₂]PF₆ (dinitrito isomer) and trans-[Co(en)₂(NO₂)₂]PF₆ (dinitro isomer) occurs in the solid state at elevated temperatures. The process was found to be exothermic for the dinitrito isomer and endothermic for dinitro isomer. The pure isomers could be considered to be in metastable states at ambient temperatures which would be converted to an equilibrium mixture of both isomers (stable state) upon heating. Since the isomerization of both isomers may be described as a two stages process, the corresponding DSC peaks have been resolved into two peaks by means of nonlinear curve fitting tools of PeakFit^® software. The resolution of the peaks helped us to determine enthalpy changes of stepwise isomerization of both isomers. A first-order initial rate and Kissinger methods have been employed to estimate kinetic parameters of the stepwise isomerization reactions. The Kissinger method provided more reliable kinetic results. The high activation energy and positive entropy changes of isomerization of both isomers are considered as indication of a dissociative mechanism in solid state.