title: The Early Phase of the Iron(III)-Sulfite Ion Reaction. Formation of a Novel Iron(III)-Sulfito Complex.
abstract: The kinetics and mechanism of the iron(III)-sulfite ion reaction were studied by using the stopped-flow method at 10.0 degrees C in 1.0 M NaClO(4). The formation of a 1:1 and a 2:1 complex was confirmed in the initial phase of the reaction when the metal ion was in excess over the ligand. In this system the formation of the dimer complex, Fe(2)S(IV), was not reported before. The following composition is proposed for the new species: (H(2)O)(4)Fe(SO(3))(OH)Fe(H(2)O)(4)(3+). The stability constant of the complex formation reaction, Fe(2)(OH)(2)(4+) + HSO(3)(-) right harpoon over left harpoon Fe(2)S(IV), was determined from absorbance data at 430 nm: log K(21) = 3.37 +/- 0.16. According to detailed kinetic studies the complex formation is first order in both Fe(2)(OH)(2)(4+) and sulfite ion. The pH dependence of the measured rate constants indicates two kinetically significant pathways with the SO(3)(2-) and HSO(3)(-) forms of the ligand, respectively. The corresponding rate constants are the following: k(HSO)()3()- = (4.5 +/- 0.3) x 10(4) M(-1) s(-1) and k(SO)()3()2- = (2.1 +/- 0.2) x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1). Mechanistic aspects of the complex formation are discussed in detail.
authors.affiliation: Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Lajos Kossuth University, Debrecen 10, P.O.B. 21, Hungary H-4010.
authors.forename: Gábor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lente
authors.forename: István
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fábián