Radiolytic yield of U(IV) oxidation into U(VI): a new mechanism for U(V) reactivity in acidic solution
E Atinault1, V De Waele, J Belloni
1Laboratoire de Chimie Physique/ELYSE, CNRS-Université Paris-Sud, Orsay, France.
Abstract:
The yields of the radiolytic oxidation of U(IV) and of the U(VI) formation, measured by spectrophotometry, are found to be the same (G(-U(IV))(N2O) = G(U(VI))(N2O) = 8.4 x 10(-7) mol J(-1)) and almost double the H(2) formation yield (G(H(2)) = 4.4 x 10(-7) mol J(-1)) in the (60)Co gamma radiolysis of N(2)O-aqueous solutions in the presence of 2 mol L(-1) Cl(-) at pH = 0 (HCl). According to the mechanism of U(IV) radiolytic oxidation, we show that under the conditions of our experiments the U(V) ions do not disproportionate, but undergo a stoichiometric oxidation into U(VI) by H(+) with forming H(2).
Related Concept Videos
Radical Reactivity: Overview
Rate-Determining Steps
In a multistep reaction mechanism, one of the elementary steps progresses significantly slower than the others. This slowest step is called the rate-limiting step (or rate-determining step). A reaction cannot proceed faster than its slowest step, and hence, the rate-determining step limits the overall reaction rate.
The concept of rate-determining step can be understood from the analogy of a 4-lane freeway with a short-stretch of traffic-bottleneck caused due to...
E1 Reaction: Kinetics and Mechanism
Oxidation of Alcohols
The process of oxidation in a chemical reaction is observed in any of the three forms:
Alkynes to Carboxylic Acids: Oxidative Cleavage
Radical Formation: Elimination


