Multistep Oxidation Kinetics of [FeII(cdta)] [cdta =N,N′,N′′,N′′′-(1,2-Cyclohexanediamine)tetraacetate] with Molecular Oxygen

Abstract

The complicated oxidation kinetics of the reaction of [FeII(cdta)] [cdta = 1,2-(N,N′- cyclohexanediamine)tetraacetate] with molecular oxygen was investigated as a function of [FeII], [O2], pH, temperature and pressure. In the presence of an excess of [FeII(cdta)] three steps could be observed, for which the following rate constants were found at 25°C; k1 = 1080 ± 16 M−1 s−1, k2 = 103 ± 4 M−1 s−1 and k3 = 59 ± 5 M−1 s−1. These reaction steps can be accounted for in terms of the following mechanism: (1) [FeII(cdta)H2O]2– reacts with O2 by a substitution process to form [FeII(cdta)O2]2–; (2) electron-transfer to form an FeIII-superoxo species; (3) subsequent bridge formation followed by electron-transfer to give [(cdta)FeIII-O22–-FeIII(cdta)]4–; and (4) a fast decomposition of the peroxide intermediate yielding the monomeric [FeIII(cdta)] and H2O2. Rate and activation parameters for these steps are reported and discussed in terms of the postulated mechanism and in reference to available literature data.