Oxidation of ascorbic acid by a (salen)ruthenium(vi) nitrido complex in aqueous solution†
Abstract
The oxidation of ascorbic acid (H2A) by [RuVI(N)(L)(MeOH)]+ in aqueous acidic solutions has the following stoichiometry: 2[RuVI(N)] + 3H2A → 2[RuIII(NH2–HA)]+ + A. Mechanisms involving HAT/N-rebound at low pH (≤2) and nucleophilic attack at the nitride at high pH (≥5) are proposed.