Kinetics and mechanism of reduction of silver(I) by ascorbic acid

Abstract

The kinetics of reduction of silver(I) have been studied in perchloric acid solution using ascorbic acid (AH₂) as the reducing agent. First-order dependences on ascorbic acid and silver(I) concentrations are exhibited, together with an inverse first-order dependence on [H⁺]. The influence of ionic strength (I < 0·08M) is negligible. The activation energy is 10·6 ± 0·2 kcal mol^–1. A mechanism for the reduction process is proposed which involves bimolecular rate-determining reaction between ascorbate ion and silver(I).