Solutions of solvated electrons in liquid ammonia Part 1. Chemical properties of magnesium solutions

increases with the electrolyte concentration and is about 0.43 M in a satur ated magnesium tetrafluoroborate solution. Magnesium solutions which exhibi t the characteristic blue color of the solvated electron, are less stable t han those of alkali metals. Their stability which increases with their conc entration and the concentration of the supporting electrolyte, is quite goo d for concentrations higher than 0.05 M (rate constant for the decompositio n of the solution lower than 10(-4) s(-1)). Magnesium and alkali metals sol utions have the same reducing power since (i) the potential ranges of solut ions of sodium or magnesium tetrafluoroborate in liquid ammonia are the sam e at a gold electrode and (ii) the diffusion coefficient of the solvated el ectron in the presence of magnesium tetrafluoroborate salt is not significa ntly different from that of sodium under the same conditions (only 1.7 time s lower). (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.