STUDIES OF RUTHENIUM(4) AND ITS REDUCTION PRODUCTS IN PERCHLORATE SOLUTIONS

Ion exchange and membrane studies of Ru(IV) in perchloric acid indicate that the charge per atom is + 1, the charge per species is +4, and Ru(IV) is tetrameric. Coulometric, cyclic voltammetric, and spectrophotometric studies indicate that tetrameric Ru(IV) can be reduced reversibly by two, one-electron processes to species with formal oxidation states of 3.75 and 3.5. Ru(3.5) is reduced reversibly to a transient species of Ru(III) which rapidly converts to a stable polymeric species of Ru(III) that can be reoxidized to Ru(IV) only irreversibly. Stable Ru(III) can be electrochemically reduced to Ru(II) which is immediately reoxidized by perchlorate to monomeric Ru3+. © 1969, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.