Oxygen activation by a macrocyclic chromium complex. Mechanism of hydroperoxo-chromium(III) to oxo-chromium(V) transformation

The transformation of the hydroperoxo complex L1(H2O)CrOOH2+ (L1 = 1, 4 8, 11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) to an oxo-chromium(v) species is a first-order process throughout the pH range examined, 1.7 < pH < 9.2. The pH dependence of the rate constant (k1) yielded an apparent pKa of 5.6 for L1(H2O)CrOOH2+. In the acidic range, (pH 7.5, k(1)= 0.025 s(-1). No [H+]-dependence is observed within the two limiting regimes, clearly ruling out a simple attack by H+ at the hydroperoxo group. The temperature dependence of k1 in 0.020 M HClO4 yielded the activation parameters DeltaH++ = 53.7 kJ mol(-1) and DeltaS++ = -80.5 J mol(-1) K(-1).