Kinetics of the thermal dehydration of trans-fluoroaquobis(ethylenediamine)chromium(III) tetracyanometallate(II) [metal(II) = Ni(II), Pd(II) and Pt(II)]

The solid phase thermal deaquation—anation of trans-[CrF(H₂O)(en)₂][M(CN)₄] (M = Ni, Pd, Pt; en = ethylenediamine) has been investigated by means of non-isothermal DSC and isothermal and non-isothermal TG measurements. The physical model for these reactions (nucleation, growth, diffusion or intermediates) has been found by comparison of the isothermal and non-isothermal TG data for all the principal g(α) expressions (0.2?α?0.8) and by the shape of the isothermal curves. The values found for activation energy are low (～ 130 kJ mol^?1 for the Ni compound, ～ 140 kJ mol^?1 for the Pd compound, and ～ 100 kJ mol^?1 for the Pt compound). These data permit the assignment of the deaquation—anation mechanism of the S_N1 type involving a square-base pyramid activated complex and elimination of water as Frenkel defects.