Trivalent Nickel. II. A Pulse Radiolytic Study of the Formation and Decomposition of the Ethylenediamine and Glycine Complexes in Aqueous Solution

The reaction of hydroxyl radicals with divalent nickel complexes, with ethylenediamine and glycine as ligands, yields unstable intermediates. These unstable intermediates are shown to be complexes of trivalent nickel. The specific rates of formation and decomposition as well as the spectra of these complexes were measured as functions of pH and divalent complex concentration. The mechanism of the reactions involved is discussed and compared with the behavior of the corresponding copper complexes.