Electron-transfer reactions between neutral cobalt complexes

Abstract

Electron transfer occurs between the acetylacetone complexes of cobalt(II) and cobalt(III) in toluene at 98 °C. The slow reaction follows second-order kinetics with k= 2·36 l mol^–1 h^–1. A mechanism involving an acetylacetonate ion bridge is suggested for the transfer of ligand which accompanies the electron-transfer process. A similar mechanism is believed to account for electron transfer between N-arylsalicylideneimine complexes of cobalt although these reactions show only first-order dependence on the concentrations of the cobalt(III) complexes.