Electron Transfer and Thermal Racemization of Ethylenediaminetetraacetato-cobaltate(III)

Abstract

IN general, electron-transfer reactions which involve no net chemical change have been studied by the use of isotopic tracers. In 1950, Dwyer and Gyarfas¹ reported that the mixing of d-tris(2,2′-bipyridine)-osmium(II) with 1-tris(2,2′-bipyridine)osmium(III) was followed by the very rapid loss of all optical activity. This was explained by assuming that a rapid electron transfer process led to redistribution of the dextro and lævo configurations among the two oxidation states. Consequently, Dwyer and Gyarfas suggested that optical activity should provide a second convenient method for the study of the kinetics of electron-transfer processes.