A mechanistic approach to the kinetics of oxidation of uranium(IV) by hexachloroplatinate(IV) in aqueous perchlorate solutions. Evidence of the formation of a binuclear intermediate complex.

The kinetics of hexachloroplatinate(IV) oxidation of uranium(IV) ion in aqueous perchloric acid solutions at a constant ionic strength of 1.0 mol dm(-3) has been investigated using the stopped-flow and conventional spectrophotometric techniques. The oxidation reaction was found to proceed through two distinct stages. The initial stage was found to be relatively fast corresponding to the formation of (H(2)O)(n)U(IV)·Cl(6)Pt(IV) binuclear intermediate complex (with the rate constant k(1) = 1.75 × 10(4) dm(3) mol(-1)s(-1), k(-1) = 6.8 s(-1), and the formation constant K = 2.6 × 10(3) dm(3) mol(-1) at [H(+)] = 1.0 mol dm(-3) and 25 °C for binuclear formation). This stage was followed by a much slower stage corresponding to the transfer of two electrons from U(IV) to Pt(IV) in the rate-determining step (with the rate constant k = 5.32 × 10(-5) s(-1) at [H(+)] = 1.0 mol dm(-3) and 25 °C). The reaction stoichiometry was found to depend on the molar ratio of the reactants concentration. The experimental results indicated the decrease of the observed first-order rate constants with increasing the [H(+)] for the decomposition of the binuclear intermediate complex through the slow-second stage, whereas no change was observed with respect to the rate of formation of the binuclear complex at the initial rapid part. A tentative reaction mechanism consistent with the kinetic results is discussed.