Kinetics and mechanism of the comproportionation of hypothiocyanous acid and thiocyanate to give thiocyanogen in acidic aqueous solution

The kinetics of comproportionation of hypothiocyanous acid (HOSCN) and thiocyanate (SCN-) to give thiocyanogen ((SCN)2) in acidic aqueous solutions have been determined by double-mixing stopped-flow UV spectroscopy. Hypothiocyanite (OSCN-) was generated at pH 13 by oxidation of excess SCN- with hypobromite (OBr-), followed by a pH jump to acidic conditions ([H+] = 0.20-0.46 M). The observed pseudo-first-order rate constants exhibit first-order dependencies on [H+] and [SCN-] with overall third-order kinetics. The corresponding kinetics of hydrolysis of (SCN)2 have also been examined. Under conditions of high (and constant) [H+] and [SCN-], the kinetics exhibit second-order behavior with respect to [(SCN)2] and complex inverse dependences on [H+] and [SCN-]. Under conditions of low [H+] and [SCN-], the kinetics exhibit first-order behavior with respect to [(SCN)2] and independence with respect to [H+] and [SCN-]. We attribute this behavior to a shift in the rate-limiting step from disproportionation of HOSCN (second-order dependency on [(SCN)2]) to rate-limiting hydrolysis (first-order dependency on [(SCN)2]). Thus, we have determined the following equilibrium constant by the kinetic method: (SCN)2 + H2O HOSCN + SCN- + H+; Khyd = [HOSCN][SCN-][H+]/[(SCN)2] = khyd/kcomp = 19.8(+/-0.7) s-1/ 5.14(+/-0.07) x 103 M-2 s-1 = 3.9 x 10-3 M2.