Browsing by Author "Kowalak, Albert Douglas"

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    The kinetics of the arsenic(III) - chromium(VI) reaction on acetic acid-acetate buffers
    Kowalak, Albert Douglas (Virginia Polytechnic Institute, 1962)
    A kinetic study of the oxidation of arsenic(III) by chromium(VI) was made in acetic acid-acetate buffers at ionic strengths 1.5M and 3.0M. The reaction rate showed a first order dependence on the arsenic(III), total chromium(VI), and acetic acid concentrations. Two possible mechanisms for the reaction have been suggested. One possibility is the formation of an arsenic-chromium adduct in which either the acid chromate or dichromate ion is involved. A second possible mechanism postulates adduct formation involving only the acid chromate ion, followed by a CrO₄= catalyzed decomposition of the adduct. In either suggested mechanism, the acetate and hydroxide ion catalyzes the decomposition of the adduct. The rate dependence on total chromium(VI) concentration is contrary to previous reports which postulate an adduct or ester mechanism. Induced reaction studies show the initial step involves the oxidation of one arsenic(III) species by chromium(VI) with the formation of tetravalent chromium as-a reactive intermediate. The stoichiometry or the overall reaction was found to be 3 As(III) + 2 Cr(VI) = 3 Aa(V) + 2 Cr(III).
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    The kinetics of the Arsenic(III)-Chromium(VI) reaction in various buffer solutions
    Kowalak, Albert Douglas (Virginia Polytechnic Institute, 1965)
    The oxidation of arsenic(III) by chromium(VI) requires the postulation of uncommon oxidation states as reactive intermediates. The possible intermediates of chromium are the divalent, tetravalent, and pentavalent states. Recently arsenic(IV) has been postulated as a reactive intermediate in certain oxidations of As(III). A detailed study of the reaction rate law in various solutions has been carried out in order to determine the nature of the intermediates found in the Cr(VI)-As(III) reaction. The effects of hydrogen ion and buffer concentrations have been determined. The mechanism postulated depends upon the solution in which the reaction occurs. The kinetics of the chromium(VI)-arsenic(III) reaction have been measured in perchloric acid solutions, acetic acid solutions, acetic acid-acetate buffers, ammonium nitrate solutions, and dihydrogen phosphatemonohydrogen phosphate buffers. The rate laws are: Perchloric Acid - -d[Cr(VI)]/ dt = [k₀ + kH[H⁺] + kH² [H⁺]²] (K’ [As (III)][Cr(VI)])/(l+K’[As(III)]) Acetic Acid-Acetate Buffers - -d[Cr(VI)]/ dt = [k₀ + kHOAc[HOAc]} (K’ [As (III)][Cr(VI)])/(l+K’[As(III)]) Acetic Acid - -d[Cr(VI)]/ dt = [k₀ + k’HOAc[HOAc]] (K’ [As (III)][Cr(VI)])/(l+K’[As(III)]) H₂PO₄⁻- HPO₄⁻² Buffers - -d[Cr(VI)]/ dt = (kK”[As(III)][Cr(VI)][H₂PO₄⁻])/(1+k”[H₂PO₄⁻]) Ammonium Nitrate Solutions - -d[Cr(VI)]/ dt = k₂ [As(III)][Cr(VI)] The reaction studied was the oxidation of As(III) by Cr(VI} according to the stoichiometry 3 As(III) + 2 Cr(VI) = 3 As(V) + 2 Cr (III) Rate data were obtained spectrophotometrically and by iodometric titration depending upon the region being investigated. At high As(III)-low Cr(VI), the Cr(VI) concentration was followed as a function of time at 350 mu using a Beckman DU spectrophotometer. The validity of Beer's law with respect to Cr(VI) was checked. At low As(III)-high Cr(VI), the unreacted As(III) concentration was determined by iodometric titration. In phosphate buffers, the HCrPO₇⁻² complex is indicated as an oxidizing agent. In the other systems, the following mechanism is consistent with the experimental facts. As(III) + HCrO₄⁻ [stacked right and left arrows with K above] As(III) · HCrO₄ As (III), As(III) · HCrO₄⁻ [right arrow with kₒ above] products, rate determining As(III) · HCrO₄⁻ + HOAc [right arrow with KHOAc above] products, rate determining As(III) · HCrO₄⁻ + H⁺ [right arrow with kH] products, rate determining In perchloric acid, H₂CrO₄is indicated as participating in the oxidation by the following steps: HCrO₄⁻ + H⁺ [stacked right and left arrows with Kₐ above] H₂CrO₄, ₂CrO₄ + As(III) [stacked right and left arrows with K above] As(III) · H₂CrO₄ The decomposition of As(III}•H₂CrO₄ is also acid catalyzed. In the mechanism described above, the products of the rate determining steps are arsenic(V) and chromium(IV). The existence of chromium(IV) is supported by the induced oxidation of ferrocyanide by the As(III)-Cr(VI) reaction. The chromium(IV) reacts immediately with chromium(VI) to form chromium(V) which can oxidize As(III) to As(V) directly. This is in agreement with the experimentally observed stoichiometry and accounts for the use of K' in the rate laws where K’ is actually 2K. The value of K is obtained from plots of 1/km versus 1/As(III). The value of K which describes all data reported is 17.2 1.mole⁻¹. In all three systems, perchloric acid, acetic acid, and acetic acid-acetate, the same kₒ is obtained. The specific rate constant for the acetic acid catalysis is 1.99 x 10⁻³ 1.⁻² mole² sec.⁻¹. Comparison of k" HOAc terms for acetic acid and acetic acid-acetate solutions shows that k”HOAc for the acid solution is larger than that for the buffers. This difference is explained on the basis of a medium effect.