The Iron Catalyzed Reaction between Nitrosyl Disulfonate and Hydroxylamine Monosulfonate Ions

Potassium nitrosyl disulfonate, K2NO(SO3)2, is noteworthy because the solid salt is orange in color and diamagnetic while its neutral aqueous solutions are purple in color and paramagnetic. These neutral solutions hydrolyze slowly to form N2O and hydroxylamine sulfonates; on the addition of acid the rate of hydrolysis is markedly increased. The mechanism of the hydrolytic reaction is unexpectedly complex as was found by Murib and Ritter [1] and, independently, by us. In order to obtain a more comprehensive picture of the mechanism of the hydrolytic reaction we have explored additional reactions which may play a part in the hydrolysis.