Mechanisms outer-sphere electron transfer

A new type of linear correlation between electrode potential and the logarithm of the relative rates of electron transfer (outer-sphere mechanism) towards two oxidants was established by Huck et al. (1980). It involves competition of various divalent ions (mainly lanthanides) towards [Co(NHj)50H2] + and [Co(NH3)g] +. The reaction of Sml2 towards various transition metal complexes in THF media could be of preparative interest but the scope of the reaction is still unknown. Preliminary results showed that it is possible to transform some Ni " " complexes into Ni species and TiCl4 into low-valence salts (Girard et al., 1982). 

Studies of redox reactions involving transition metals in solution have established that there are basically two types of mechanism for electron transfer, outer sphere and inner sphere mechanisms. In addition to this distinction, redox reactions are divided into self exchange reactions between two different oxidation states of the same metal ion and redox reactions between complexes with different metal centres. In the following sections the mechanisms of these reactions will be discussed in conjunction with a discussion of the factors which influence the rates of redox reactions. 

The superb elegance of this demonstration lies in the choice of reactants which permits no alternative mechani.sm. Cr" (d ) and Co" (d ) species are known to be substitutionally labile whereas Cr" (d ) and Co " (low-spin d ) are substitutionally inert, Only if electron transfer is preceded by the formation of a bridged internrediate can the inert cobalt reactant be persuaded to release a Cl ligand and so allow the quantitative formation of the (then inert) chromium product. Corroboration that electron transfer does not occur by an outer-sphere mechanism followed by los.s of CP from the chromium is provided by the fact that, if Cl is added to the solution, none of it finds its way into the chromium product. 

On the basis of these results it seems to the present author that inner and outer complexes can reasonably be assumed for the electron transfer to the diazonium ion, but that an outer-sphere mechanism is more likely for metal complexes with a completely saturated coordination sphere of relatively high stability, such as Fe(CN) (Bagal et al., 1974) or ferrocene (Doyle et al., 1987 a). Romming and Waerstad (1965) isolated the complex obtained from a Sandmeyer reaction of benzenediazonium ions and [Cu B ]- ions. The X-ray structural data for this complex also indicate an outer-sphere complex. 

In the same way that we considered two limiting extremes for ligand substitution reactions, so may we distinguish two types of reaction pathway for electron transfer (or redox) reactions, as first put forth by Taube. For redox reactions, the distinction between the two mechanisms is more clearly defined, there being no continuum of reactions which follow pathways intermediate between the extremes. In one pathway, there is no covalently linked intermediate and the electron just hops from one center to the next. This is described as the outer-sphere mechanism (Fig. 9-4). 

Figure 9-4. The outer-sphere mechanism for an electron transfer reaction between two complexes. No covalently-linked intermediate is involved in the reaction.

Electron transfer between metal ions contained in complexes can occur in two different ways, depending on the nature of the metal complexes that are present. If the complexes are inert, electron transfer occurring faster than the substitution processes must occur without breaking the bond between the metal and ligand. Such electron transfers are said to take place by an outer sphere mechanism. Thus, each metal ion remains attached to its original ligands and the electron is transferred through the coordination spheres of the metal ions. 

Electron Transfer Far From Equilibrium. We have shown how the Marcus Theory of electron transfer provides a quantitative means of analysis of outer-sphere mechanisms in both homogeneous and heterogeneous systems. It is particularly useful for predicting electron transfer rates near the equilibrium potential,... 

Cytochrome c is responsible for accepting an electron from cytochrome Ci and transferring it to cytochrome c oxidase. The electron transfer reaction may occur via the exposed portion of the ring or by tunnelling through the protein (and involving an outer-sphere mechanism). The details of this process have not been fully elucidated and have remained the focus of much research. 

Iron(III)-catalyzed autoxidation of ascorbic acid has received considerably less attention than the comparable reactions with copper species. Anaerobic studies confirmed that Fe(III) can easily oxidize ascorbic acid to dehydroascorbic acid. Xu and Jordan reported two-stage kinetics for this system in the presence of an excess of the metal ion, and suggested the fast formation of iron(III) ascorbate complexes which undergo reversible electron transfer steps (21). However, Bansch and coworkers did not find spectral evidence for the formation of ascorbate complexes in excess ascorbic acid (22). On the basis of a combined pH, temperature and pressure dependence study these authors confirmed that the oxidation by Fe(H20)g+ proceeds via an outer-sphere mechanism, while the reaction with Fe(H20)50H2+ is substitution-controlled and follows an inner-sphere electron transfer path. To some extent, these results may contradict with the model proposed by Taqui Khan and Martell (6), because the oxidation by the metal ion may take place before the ternary oxygen complex is actually formed in Eq. (17). 

Most of the kinetic models predict that the sulfite ion radical is easily oxidized by 02 and/or the oxidized form of the catalyst, but this species was rarely considered as a potential oxidant. In a recent pulse radiolysis study, the oxidation of Ni(II and I) and Cu(II and I) macrocyclic complexes by SO was studied under anaerobic conditions (117). In the reactions with Ni(I) and Cu(I) complexes intermediates could not be detected, and the electron transfer was interpreted in terms of a simple outer-sphere mechanism. In contrast, time resolved spectra confirmed the formation of intermediates with a ligand-radical nature in the reactions of the M(II) ions. The formation of a product with a sulfonated macrocycle and another with an additional double bond in the macrocycle were isolated in the reaction with [NiCR]2+. These results may require the refinement of the kinetic model proposed by Lepentsiotis for the [NiCR]2+ SO/ 02 system (116). 

Figure 13.18 S-adenosyl methionine (SAM), a source of 5 -deoxyadenosyl radicals. SAM binds to the subsite iron (in blue) of the reduced [4Fe-4S] cluster via its a-aminocarboxylate group. The 5 -deoxyadenosine radical is formed by electron transfer which occurs either (a) by outer-sphere mechanism or (b) by p-sulfide alkylation followed by homolytic cleavage of the 5 -S-CH2Ado bond. In both cases, methionine is released. (From Fontecave et al., 2004. Copyright 2004, with permission from Elsevier.)...

Electron transfer reactions may follow two types of mechanism (i) outer sphere mechanism and (ii) inner sphere mechanism. 

In principle, outer sphere mechanism involves electron transfer from reductant to oxidant when there is no change in the number or nature of the groups (coordination shells or spheres) attached to each of them. For example,... 

In outer sphere mechanism, one reactant becomes involved in the outer or second coordination sphere of the other reactant and an electron flows from the reductant to oxidant. It is also possible that the electron is transferred first to the solvent and then from the solvent to an ion. 

Similarly, inner-sphere and outer-sphere mechanisms can be postulated for the reductive dissolution of metal oxide surface sites, as shown in Figure 2. Precursor complex formation, electron transfer, and breakdown of the successor complex can still be distinguished. The surface chemical reaction is unique, however, in that participating metal centers are bound within an oxide/hydroxide... 

The Electron Transfer Step. Inner-sphere and outer-sphere mechanisms of reductive dissolution are, in practice, difficult to distinguish. Rates of ligand substitution at tervalent and tetravalent metal oxide surface sites, which could be used to estimate upward limits on rates of inner-sphere reaction, are not known to any level of certainty. 

Figure 1 Schematic representation of an heterogeneous electron transfer taking place through an outer-sphere mechanism at a negatively charged electrode...

Only in a limited number of instances will the value of k and its associated parameters be useful in diagnosing mechanism. When the redox rate is faster than substitution within either reactant, we can be fairly certain that an outer-sphere mechanism holds. This is the case with Fe + and RuCP+ oxidation of V(II) and with rapid electron transfer between inert partners. On the other hand, when the activation parameters for substitution and redox reactions of one of the reactants are similar, an inner-sphere redox reaction, controlled by replacement, is highly likely. This appears to be the case with the oxidation by a number of Co(III) complexes of V(II), confirmed in some instanees by the appearance of the requisite V(III) complex, e.g. 

In terms of electron transfer reactions, transition metal ions can be the one- or two-electron type. The two-electron ions transform into unstable states on unit change of the metal oxidation number. In the outer-sphere mechanism, two-electron transfer is a combination of two one-electron steps. 

The action of one-electron redox systems is readily understandable in the context of inner- and outer-sphere mechanisms, whereas two-electron redox systems require additional considerations. First, if a double one-electron transfer is possible from an organic substrate to the same metal ion, does it mean that the same molecule of an organic donor provides these two electrons, or do two molecules of the substrate act as one-electron donors ... 

NMR and UV-visible techniques have been used in the characterization of intermediates in the [Fe (edta)]" -promoted decomposition of hydrogen peroxide7 Fe complexes of edta, nta, and dtpa react with FISOs by an inner-sphere one-electron transfer mechanism with transient production of S04, in contrast to Cu, which reacts by an outer-sphere mechanism to give S04 and hydroxy radicalsFe -edta redox properties are relevant to Fe /Cu /H202 systems. ... 

Ru Ru step and a self-exchange rate of 2xlO" M s for the c -[Ru 0)2(L)] " /cw [Ru (0)2(L)]+ couple has been estimated a mechanism involving a pre-equilibrium protonation of ci5-[Ru (0)2(L)]+ followed by outer-sphere electron transfer is proposed for the Ru Ru step. For reduction by [Fe(H20)6] +, an outer-sphere mechanism is proposed for the first step and an inner-sphere mechanism is proposed for the second step. ... 

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