Kinetics of oxidation of azide ion by bis(dihydrogentellurato)-cuprate(III) and -argentate(III) in alkaline media

Abstract

The kinetics of the oxidation of azide ion by bis(dihydrogentellurato)-cuprate(III) and -argentate(III) has been studied in alkaline media. The rate of the reaction increases with increasing azide ion but decreases with the increasing of alkali concentration. The reactions proceed through initial 1 : 1 complex formation between the reactants followed by decomposition of the complex to give nitrogen. Copper(III) is reduced by the substrate in a one-electron process, whereas one-step two-electron reduction has been shown to occur with silver(III). Thermodynamic parameters associated with the complex-formation step and the activation parameters for the decomposition step have been evaluated. The mechanism of the reactions is discussed.