Inorganic Kinetics of Aquation explanation! I am doing a kinetics of aquation ex
ID: 1027194 • Letter: I
Question
Inorganic Kinetics of Aquation explanation!
I am doing a kinetics of aquation experiment where I convert the pentaamminechlorocobalt(III) chloride ion to pentaammineaquacobalt(III) chloride ion.
The chemical reaction is: [Co(NH3)5Cl]2+ + H2O ----> [Co(NH3)5H2O]3+ + Cl- by reacting it with HNO3.
The procedure said to pour in 0.300 g of [Co(NH3)5Cl]Cl2 into 250-mL of 0.1 HNO3. Can someone explain to me how adding 0.300 g of [Co(NH3)5Cl]Cl2 into 250-mL of 0.1 HNO3 gives the product of [Co(NH3)5H2O]3+ + Cl-? Or if you can show me the reaction mechanism for it?
I just don't see what the acid does at all. I will rate and comment on your answer so that your efforts are not wasted. Thank you.
Explanation / Answer
In Aquation one or more molecules of water is incorporated by dispalcing an anion from the metal complex.
[Co(NH3)5Cl]Cl2 + H2O [Co(NH3)5(H2O)]3+ + Cl
This aquation reaction can be catalyzed both by acid and by base.
Here HNO3 acts as catalyst .Cl- is a poor leaving group . The role of HNO3 is the protonation of the chloride, converting it to a better leaving group.