Chromium complexes aqueous solutions

This is the most common and stable state of chromium in aqueous solution. The Cr ion, with 2d electrons, forms mainly octahedral complexes [CrX ], which are usually coloured, and are kweticallv inert, i.e. the rate of substitution of X by another hgand is very slow consequently a large number of such complexes have been isolated (see below, under chromium(III) chloride). 

The hydrolysis equilibria for H2Cr04 given in Table 3 are only valid in HNO or HCIO solutions. Other acids yield complexes such as those shown for chloride and bisulfate ions. The exact composition of chromate(VI) anion(s) present in aqueous solution is a function of both pH and hexavalent chromium concentration (68). However, at pH values above 8, virtually all the Cr(VI) is present as the CrO anion. When the pH is between 2 and 6, an equilibrium mixture of HCrO and Ci2 is present when the pH is below 1, the principal species is H2Cr04 (68,69). At very high Cr(VI) concentrations... 

This is by far the most stable and best-known oxidation state for chromium and is characterized by thousands of compounds, most of them prepared from aqueous solutions. By contrast, unless stabilized by M-M bonding, molybdenum(III) compounds are sparse and hardly any are known for tungsten(III). Thus Mo, but not W, has an aquo ion [Mo(H20)g] +, which gives rise to complexes [MoXg] " (X = F, Cl, Br, NCS). Direct action of acetylacetone on the hexachloromolybdate(III) ion produces the sublimable (Mo(acac)3] which, however, unlike its chromium analogue, is oxidized by air to Mo products. A black cyanide,... 

Another reason chemists find the above complex ion picture of aqueous solutions useful is that it is easily extended to explain amphoteric behavior. Take the case of chromium hydroxide, Cr(OH)3, a good example of an amphoteric hydroxide. It dissolves very little in water, but is quite soluble both in acid and in base. Presumably it can react with either. How can this behavior be explained in terms of the complex ion picture ... 

Thermally, ammine complexes of chromium(III) containing a coordinated ligand X (where X is CL, CNS , etc.) undergo substitution of X by H20 in aqueous solution with retention of stereochemistry ... 

Let us start with the Ni(II) complexes of the already mentioned scorpiand diammac (6,13-diammino-6,13-dimethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacy-clotetradecane) in its two cis and trans conformations. In contrast to the previously mentioned chromium-, iron-, and cobalt-diammac complexes, in which the geometry of [M(fra s-diammac)]" + was substantially octahedral and that of the [M(cw-diammac)]" + was substantially trigonal prismatic, in the case of both [Nif/raws-diammac)]2+ and [Ni(m-diammac)]2 + the structural differences are attenuated and both can be viewed as more or less distorted octahedral geometries, with two sets of averaged Ni-N bond lengths of 2.07 A and 2.13 A, respectively.161 162 This is reflected by the fact that both the two complexes exhibit in aqueous solution a chemically reversible Ni(II)/Ni(III) oxidation ([Nif/raws-diammac)]2 + E° = + 0.67 V vs. SHE [Ni(m-diammac)]2 + ... 

There is a difference between the thermodynamic terms stable and unstable and the kinetic terms labile and inert. Furthermore, the differences between the terms stable and unstable, and labile and inert are relative. Thus, Ni(CN)4 and Cr(CN)6 are both thermodynamically stable in aqueous solution, yet kinetically the rate of exchange of radiocarbon-labeled cyanide is quite different. The half-life for exchange is about 30 sec for the nickel complex and 1 month for the chromium complex. Taube has suggested that those complexes that react completely within about 60 sec at 25°C be considered labile, while those that take a longer time be called inert. This rule of thumb is often given in texts, but is not in general use in the literature. Actual rates and conditions are superior tools for the evaluation of the kinetic and thermodynamic stability of complexes. 

Both absorption and emission spectra have been recorded for a variety of octahedral chromium(III) complexes. For the systems of interest here, A/B 2. Inspection of Figure 2 leads to the expectation of three spin-allowed, parity-forbidden transitions between the iA2g and the other quartet states and two spin- and parity-forbidden transitions between the iA2g and the 2Eg and 2T2g states. Aqueous solutions of Cr(H20)s3+ display three bands with e 15 at 17,400, 24,500, and 38,000 cm-1, assigned respectively to the transitions iA2g- iT2g,... 

This account is concerned with the rate and mechanism of the important group of reactions involving metal complex formation. Since the bulk of the studies have been performed in aqueous solution, the reaction will generally refer, specifically, to the replacement of water in the coordination sphere of the metal ion, usually octahedral, by another ligand. The participation of outer sphere complexes (ion pair formation) as intermediates in the formation of inner sphere complexes has been considered for some time (122). Thermodynamic, and kinetic studies of the slowly reacting cobalt(III) and chromium(III) complexes (45, 122) indicate active participation of outer sphere complexes. However, the role of outer sphere complexes in the reactions of labile metal complexes and their general importance in complex formation (33, 34, 41, 111) had to await modern techniques for the study of very rapid reactions. Little evidence has appeared so far for direct participation of the... 

Chromium in the trivalent state forms a variety of salts, the most important and the simplest being the violet salts, which liberate in aqueous solution chromium cation Cr" A green series of chromic salts, isomeric with the violet salts, liberate in aqueous solution some chromium cation, whilst part of the chromium is present as a complex ion. With weak acids, sulphurous, hydrocyanic, or thiocyanic acids, the chromic ion forms complex ions of great stability. Finally, a very large group of salts exists where chromium associated with ammonia forms the complex ion, the chromi-ammines. 

These hydroxo-salts are all sulphur-yellow crystalline substances. The acid residues are hydrolysable and hence outside the co-ordination complex, and the aqueous solutions, unlike the hydroxo-salts of chromium-and cobalt-ammines, are neutral to litmus, a fact which Werner suggests is due to the smaller tendency of the hydroxo-radicle attached to ruthenium to combine with hydrogen ions. This tendency is much less than in the case of the ammines of cobalt and chromium, but that it still exists is indicated by the increased solubility of these hydroxo-compounds in water acidified with mineral acids, and from such solutions aquo-nitroso-tetrammino-ruthenium salts are obtained thus ... 

What structure can ions of chromium(lll) have in an aqueous solution depending on the conditions Explain the structure of aqua-complex chromium(III) ions from the viewpoint of the valence bond method. 

Some redox couples of organometallic complexes are used as potential references. In particular, the ferrocenium ion/ferrocene (Fc+/Fc) and bis(biphenyl)chromium(I)/ (0) (BCr+/BCr) couples have been recommended by IUPAC as the potential reference in each individual solvent (Section 6.1.3) [11]. Furthermore, these couples are often used as solvent-independent potential references for comparing the potentials in different solvents [21]. The oxidized and reduced forms of each couple have similar structures and large sizes. Moreover, the positive charge in the oxidized form is surrounded by bulky ligands. Thus, the potentials of these redox couples are expected to be fairly free of the effects of solvents and reactive impurities. However, these couples do have some problems. One problem is that in aqueous solutions Fc+ in water behaves somewhat differently to in other solvents [29] the solubility of BCr+BPhF is insufficient in aqueous solutions, although it increases somewhat at higher temperatures (>45°C) [22]. The other problem is that the potentials of these couples are influenced to some extent by solvent permittivity this was discussed in 8 of Chapter 2. The influence of solvent permittivity can be removed by... 

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