A SPECTROPHOTOMETRIC REEXAMINATION OF THE SPECTRA AND STABILITIES OF THE IRON (III) – TIRON COMPLEXES

Abstract

Variations in the spectra of the aqueous solutions of the iron (III) – sodium catechol disulphonate (Tiron) complexes may be interpreted in relation to pH of the solutions to show which complexes are present at any chosen pH. With this knowledge it is possible in this system to evaluate equilibrium constants for the formation of each complex in turn. Combining these with separately determined acidity constants for Tiron, the stability constants of the complexes may be calculated. These have been determined for background solutions of potassium nitrate or sodium perchlorate each at three different concentrations, and for three different ratios of reagent to metal. Averages of a number of determinations made under these conditions are given in Table III of the paper. The constant K 1 in perchlorate media shows an unmistakable dependence suggestive of the existence of a protonated species at low pH as well as the simple complex ML. However, there is some ambiguity in the interpretation of the results so that the exact nature of the protonated complex cannot be decided.