Mechanistic information from volume profiles for water exchange and complex-formation reactions of aquated Ni(II). pH, buffer and medium effects.

Rate and activation parameters for the complex-formation reaction of Ni(2+) with 4-(2-pyridylazo)-N,N-dimethyl aniline (PADA) were studied as a function of pH in different buffers in both aqueous and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelle solutions. In aqueous Tris buffer solution, the forward and backward rate constants increased with increasing pH, while the complex-formation constant decreased due to a larger increase in the backward rate constant. The activation entropy, DeltaS(#), and activation volume, DeltaV(#), changed with increasing pH from positive to negative values, suggesting an apparent changeover from a dissociative to a more associative mechanism.