Kinetics and mechanisms of the reactions of hypochlorous acid, chlorine, and chlorine monoxide with bromite ion.

The reaction between BrO2(-) and excess HOCl (p[H+] 6-7, 25.0 degrees C) proceeds through several pathways. The primary path is a multistep oxidation of HOCl by BrO(2)(-) to form ClO(3)(-) and HOBr (85% of the initial 0.15 mM BrO(2)(-)). Another pathway produces ClO(2) and HOBr (8%), and a third pathway produces BrO(3)(-) and Cl(-) (7%). With excess HOCl concentrations, Cl(2)O also is a reactive species. In the proposed mechanism, HOCl and Cl(2)O react with BrO(2)(-) to form steady-state species, HOClOBrO(-) and ClOClOBrO(-). Acid facilitates the conversion of HOClOBrO(-) and ClOClOBrO(-) to HOBrOClO(-). These reactions require a chainlike connectivity of the intermediates with alternating halogen-oxygen bonding (i.e. HOBrOClO(-)) as opposed to Y-shaped intermediates with a direct halogen-halogen bond (i.e. HOBrCl(O)O(-)). The HOBrOClO(-) species dissociates into HOBr and ClO(2)(-) or reacts with general acids to form BrOClO. The distribution of products suggests that BrOClO exists as a BrOClO.HOCl adduct in the presence of excess HOCl. The primary products, ClO(3)(-) and HOBr, are formed from the hydrolysis of BrOClO.HOCl. A minor hydrolysis path for BrOClO.HOCl gives BrO(3)(-) and Cl(-). An induction period in the formation of ClO(2) is observed due to the buildup of ClO(2)(-), which reacts with BrOClO.HOCl to give 2 ClO(2) and Br(-). Second-order rate constants for the reactions of HOCl and Cl(2)O with BrO(2)(-) are k(1)(HOCl) = 1.6 x 10(2) M(-1) s(-1) and k(1)(Cl)()2(O) = 1.8 x 10(5) M(-)(1) s(-)(1). When Cl(-) is added in large excess, a Cl(2) pathway exists in competition with the HOCl and Cl(2)O pathways for the loss of BrO(2)(-). The proposed Cl(2) pathway proceeds by Cl(+) transfer to form a steady-state ClOBrO species with a rate constant of k(1)(Cl2) = 8.7 x 10(5) M(-1) s(-1).