Henry Taube, 1983 Nobel Prize winner in chemistry, has studied the mechanisms of the oxidation-reduction reactions of transition metal complexes. In one experiment he and his students studied the following reaction: \(\begin{aligned} \mathrm{Cr}\left(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}\right)_{6}^{2+}(a q)+& \mathrm{Co}\left(\mathrm{NH}_{3}\right)_{5} \mathrm{Cl}^{2+}(a q) \\\ \longrightarrow & \mathrm{Cr}(\mathrm{III}) \text { complexes }+\mathrm{Co}(\mathrm{II}) \text { complexes } \end{aligned}\) Chromium(III) and cobalt(III) complexes are substitutionally inert (no exchange of ligands) under conditions of the experiment. Chromium(II) and cobalt(II) complexes can exchange ligands very rapidly. One of the products of the reaction is \(\mathrm{Cr}\left(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}\right)_{5} \mathrm{Cl}^{2+} .\) Is this consistent with the reaction proceeding through formation of \(\left(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}\right)_{5} \mathrm{Cr}-\mathrm{Cl}-\mathrm{Co}\left(\mathrm{NH}_{3}\right)_{5}\) as an intermediate? Explain.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding the Experiment

Nobel laureate Henry Taube and his students conducted an experiment where they studied an oxidation-reduction reaction of transition metal complexes. The reaction is between a Chromium (Cr) complex and a Cobalt (Co) complex, resulting in the formation of Chromium (III) and Cobalt (II) complexes. The salient point to note is that Chromium(III) and cobalt(III) complexes are inert under conditions of the experiment, while Chromium(II) and Cobalt(II) complexes can exchange ligands rapidly.

02

Reactant and Product Profile

According to the information provided, one of the final products of the reaction includes \( \mathrm{Cr}\left(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}\right)_{5}\mathrm{Cl}^{2+} \). The question is trying to analyze whether the reaction could proceed through the formation of \( \left(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}\right)_{5}\mathrm{Cr}-\mathrm{Cl}-\mathrm{Co}\left(\mathrm{NH}_{3}\right)_{5} \) as an intermediate.

03

Analysing the Intermediate Step

The intermediate proposed here involves the ligands of the original Chromium and Cobalt complexes shifting, with a Chlorine (Cl) from the Cobalt complex ending up bound to the Chromium complex and forming \( \left(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}\right)_{5}\mathrm{Cr}-\mathrm{Cl}-\mathrm{Co}\left(\mathrm{NH}_{3}\right)_{5} \).

04

Verifying the Consistency

Given the process we understood from the experiment that the Chromium(II) and Cobalt(II) complexes can rapidly exchange ligands, but Chromium(III) and Cobalt(III) complexes are substitutionally inert. Therefore, the intermediate could indeed form if the reaction is occurring between Chromium and Cobalt at their 2+ oxidation states. As such, there's a clear path for the formation of the \( \mathrm{Cr}\left(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}\right)_{5}\mathrm{Cl}^{2+} \) product within the context of this reaction, assuming that the ligand exchange is a rapid process. This means that the formation of the product, \( \mathrm{Cr}\left(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}\right)_{5}\mathrm{Cl}^{2+} \), is consistent with the reaction proceeding through the formation of \( \left(\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}\right)_{5}\mathrm{Cr}-\mathrm{Cl}-\mathrm{Co}\left(\mathrm{NH}_{3}\right)_{5} \) as an intermediate.

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