ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Photochemistry of iV-(Phosphonomethyl) glycine in the Presence of Ferric Ions

J. Makáňová, J. Šima, P. Daučík, and A. Horváth

Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, Slovak University of Technology, SK-812 37 Bratislava

Abstract: Ferric complex [Fe(gly)₂]^3- (gly^3- = anion of N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine) undergoes a photoredox transformation when being irradiated with UV radiation both in aqueous and methanolic media. Photoreduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II), occurring in deoxygenated systems, is accompanied by decomposition of the coordinated ligand. As the products of this photodecomposition, formaldehyde, ammonia, and new phosphorus-containing species were identified in aqueous media. Along with the photoinduced oxidation of the ligand, molecules of solvent are oxidized in methanolic media as well. In the presence of oxygen no net Fe(III) reduction is observed. Photochemical degradation of N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine was monitored using ³¹P NMR and electronic absorption spectroscopy. Attempts to rationalize the spectral changes and the mechanism of the photochemical processes are involved.

Full paper in Portable Document Format: 515a258.pdf

Chemical Papers 51 (5) 258–262 (1997)