The hydrolysis of halogenopentamminechromium(III) complexes

Abstract

The Croup Replacement Factors (G.R.F.) of halogens in nucleophilic substitutions of halogenopentamminechromium(III) complexes both by solvent water and by hydroxide ion have been compared with the corresponding data available for the analogous cobalt(III) cations. Although reactions in the latter system are typical S_N2 processes with concurrent bond formation and fission, the mechanism of substitutions in halogenopentamminechromium(III) complexes depends on the nature of the halogen, being bimolecular for the fluoro and unimolecular for the other halogeno cations. The kinetic results are discussed partly along lines similar to those employed for the interpretation of organic nucleophilic substitutions.