I need some help with this table. The problem is to figure out why reduction potential are in this order.
1) Fe(H2O)63+ + e- Fe(H2O)62+ E°=0.77 V
2)Fe(CN)63- + e- Fe(CN)64- E°=0.36 V
3)Fe(phen)33+ + e- Fe(phen)32+ E°=1.14 V
My hypothesis:
a) Fe
3+ is harder than Fe
2+, so it tends to bind hard ligand as H
2O and phen.
b) CN
- is hard, but it stabilizes low oxidation state (due to back-bonding in π*). Maybe for CN- the reduction potential is the lowest because the complex have high negative charge. So equilibrium favours reagent.
c) phen can't accept back-bonding because π-system is delocalized on carbons atoms. In theory this complex shoud have low potential because phen stabilizes high-oxidation state. But it isn't true.
This argument seems inapplicable to this problem. Can anyone help me out?