Reduction potentials of metal ions

The oxidation-reduction potentials of metal ions differ in different solvents due chiefly to differences in the strength of coordination of the solvents to the metal ions. Thus, Schaap and coworkers,33 who measured reduction potentials polarographically in anhydrous ethylenediamine, found the order of half-wave potentials to be Cd2+ > Pb2+ > Cu2+ - Cu+ > Ti+, whereas, in aqueous solution, the order is Cd2+ > Ti+ > Pb2+ > Cu2+ -> Cu+. Oxidation—reduction potentials have been measured in a great variety of non-aqueous solvents, both protonic and non-protonic. Among the former are liquid ammonia and concentrated sulfuric acid.34 Among the latter are acetonitrile, cyanopropane, cyanobenzene, dimethyl sulfoxide, methylene chloride, acetone, tet-rahydrofuran, dimethylformamide and pyridine.34... 

This method is based on an observation that the reduction potentials of metal ions are reduced as a result of complex formation. Consider the reaction ... 

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