REDUCTION OF HYDROGEN-PEROXIDE BY THE FERROUS IRON CHELATE OF DIETHYLENETRIAMINE-N,N,N',N'',N''-PENTAACETATE

Ferrous iron complexed with diethylenetriamine-N, N prime ,N double prime , N double prime -pentaacetate (DTPA) reacts with hydrogen peroxide in neutral aqueous solution at room temperature to yield an oxidizing species that is not scavenged by tert-butyl alcohol, under conditions where greater than 90% of hydroxyl radical would be scavenged. Further, the oxidizing species reacts with Fe**I**IDTPA**3- and H//2O//2 at virtually the same rate, in contrast to the known behavior of the hydroxyl radical. These observations, the effects of methanol on the reaction, and the kinetic and stoichiometric results of the experiments clearly establish that the oxidizing species produced is not the hydroxyl radical, but an iron-oxo species such as the ferryl ion.