Base hydrolysis chromium complexes

A review of recent advances in chromium chemistry (82) supplements earlier comprehensive reviews of kinetics and mechanisms of substitution in chromium(III) complexes (83). This recent review tabulates kinetic parameters for base hydrolysis of some Cr(III) complexes, mentions mechanisms of formation of polynuclear Cr(III) species, and discusses current views on the question of the mechanism(s) of such reactions. It seems that both CB (conjugate base) and SVj2 mechanisms operate, depending on the situation. The important role played by ionpairing in base hydrolysis of macrocyclic complexes of chromium(III) has been stressed. This is evidenced by the observed order, greater... 

The kinetics of aquation of a number of azidochromium(III) complexes have been investigated.303,655 Compared with other acidochromium(III) complexes, the chromium-azide bonds in these species seem remarkably stable to thermal substitution. Hence in the base hydrolysis of [CrN3(NH3)s]2+ a pathway involving initial loss of NH3 concurs with the usual base hydrolysis pathway involving loss of Nj. The aquation of azidochromium(III) complexes is H+-assisted with protonation of the azido ligand accounting for the enhanced reactivity. 

Hydrolysis of ammonia or amines is often observed, but only in a few cases have such reactions proved to be useful synthetically. Base hydrolysis (aqueous NH3) of the so-called rhodo ion, (NH3)5Cr(OH)-Cr(NH3)55 +, yields the so-called cis hydroxo erythro ion, cis-(NH3)5-Cr(OH)Cr(NH3)4(OH)4+, and both this ion and its corresponding acid form, cis aqua erythro have been isolated as salts (227, 252, 253). The hydrolysis is complete within minutes, and unlike the hydrolysis of many other ammine chromium(III) complexes, is quite a clean reaction, at least in solutions of moderate alkalinity (225). The corresponding trans aqua isomer has been prepared by heating the solid... 

The base hydrolysis of [Co(NHg)5(02CCF3)] + and the analogous complexes of rhodium, iridium, and chromium(IIT) appears to involve the concerted attack of two hydroxide ions—one bonding to the acyl carbon atom of the trifluoroacetato group, and the other deprotonating the first 58, 129). 

A further synthesis of metal complexes containing two six-membered aromatic rings, which was limited to chromium, was based on the interaction of phenyl magnesium bromide and chromic chloride, and subsequent hydrolysis of the reaction mixture to the [Cr(C8He)2] cation (107, m, m). 

A considerable amount of kinetic and mechanistic data has been reported for the base hydrolysis of cis- and trans-dihalobis(ethylenediamine)-cobalt(III) cations/ On the other hand, the only chromium(III) analogs which have been studied are cis- and trans-dichlorobis(ethylenediamine)-chromium(III) cations/ The present study was undertaken to gain additional base hydrolysis data for dihalobis(ethylenediamine)chromium(III) complexes, which will permit a more meaningful comparison with their cobalt(III) analogs. 

The use of base-catalysed reactions for the template synthesis of co-ordinated, often macrocyclic ligands was discussed in the introduction to this chapter. " Chromium(m) Complexes.—Studies of the base hydrolysis of chromium(ra) complexes at high pH are relatively rare, probably because of the ease with which polymeric hydroxy-complexes can be precipitated. Studies of aqua-chromium(m) complexes even at low pH invariably show that conjugate-base formation is important owing to the acidity of the co-ordinated water molecules. Conjugate-base formation is apparent when the observed pseudo-first-order rate constant, k, varies with acidity according to the equation A =A o+ -x/[H+]. Recent examples include studies of the [Cr(HaO)6(NHs) + and [Cr(ox)2(N3)(H20)]2- ions." ... 

Chromium(lll) Complexes.— Aqua-chromium(m) complexes form conjugate bases even at low pH owing to the acidity of the co-ordinated water molecules. Base hydrolysis of such complexes usually results in precipitation of polymeric hydroxo-compounds. A reaction of this type investigated recently is... 

The sesquioxide, Cr Oa, containing trivalent chromium, is an amphoteric oxide. It yields chromic salts, such as chromic chloride, CrCla, and sulphate, Cr2(S04)a, which are very stable and show great similarity to the ferric salts and to salts of aluminium as, for example, in the formation of alums. Since, however, chromic oxide functions as a weaker base than chromous oxide, the latter having a lower oxygen content, the chromic salts are more liable to hydrolysis than the chromous salts. This is well marked in the case of the chlorides. Again, in spite of the stability of chromic salts, only a slight tendency to form simple Cr " ions is exhibited, whilst complex ions are formed much more readily, not only complex anions, as in the case of iron and aluminium, but also complex cations, as in the extensive chromammine series. In this respect chromium resembles cobalt and platinum. 

Observations on the reaction of ethylmalonatopentaamminecobalt(III) with Cr(H20)g + introduce a new element of interest. The chromium(III) products are the chelated malonate (67%) with a corresponding amount of free alcohol and the monodentate ester complex (33%). Since ester hydrolysis in the latter species is slow, we conclude that hydrogen results from the ester in the chelate form. Again, since ring closure of the monodentate product complex is slow, chelation must have occurred before Cr is oxidized to Cr . It is possible that formation of the chelate as primary product is complete, and that this product reacts in part to yield the monodentate product before hydrolysis occurs. Activation based on electron transfer to trap a function which is sensitive to a substitution-inert metal ion acting as a Lewis acid could presumably be extended to other more interesting situations. 

---