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6 Electron Counting

This document discusses an electron counting problem involving a catalytic cycle showing the transformation of methanol and carbon monoxide into acetic acid. [1] It asks students to determine the oxidation state and total electron count of four rhodium-containing compounds in the cycle. [2] It also asks students to identify which step is an "oxidative addition" and its opposite, and to consider how the total electron counts change between compounds 3 and 4. [3]

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asra kareemi
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111 views1 page

6 Electron Counting

This document discusses an electron counting problem involving a catalytic cycle showing the transformation of methanol and carbon monoxide into acetic acid. [1] It asks students to determine the oxidation state and total electron count of four rhodium-containing compounds in the cycle. [2] It also asks students to identify which step is an "oxidative addition" and its opposite, and to consider how the total electron counts change between compounds 3 and 4. [3]

Uploaded by

asra kareemi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Electron counting and a catalytic reaction

Form groups of three to four people. You should each work question 1 (electron counting
problems), compare answers, and then discuss the remaining questions.

A “catalytic cycle” shows how the metal-containing intermediates evolve in an organic


transformation. Below, the transformation is the “Monsanto acetic acid process,” the conversion
of methanol and carbon monoxide into acetic acid.

1. Determine the oxidation state and total electron count for the rhodium-containing compounds
1-4 in the catalytic cycle. (Rhodium is in group 9 of the periodic table.)
–
I CO
Rh
I CO
1
CH 3C(O)I CH3–I

O CH3 – H2O CH3 –


OC I I CO
Rh Rh
I CO I CO
I HI I
4 2
CH3CO2H CH3–OH

O CH3 –
I I
Rh
CO I CO
3
2. Four-coordinate 1 is square-planar, not tetrahedral. Recall from lecture the d-electron count
that most commonly gives square-planar complexes. What is the total electron count of 1? Do
you expect this total electron count for all square-planar complexes?

3. One of the four metal-based transformations is called an “oxidative addition.” Which one fits
this description best? What is a reasonable name for the opposite of an oxidative addition?
Which step in the diagram corresponds to this new process?

4. Consider the total electron count of 3. What happens to the total electron count in the
conversion to 4? Is this what you would expect?

5. Determine whether each ligand above is a -donor, a -acceptor, or neither. How do you
expect these -effects to modify the stability of each complex?

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