Oxidation of -ascorbic acid by pentaamminechromatocobalt() nitrate has been investigated over the ranges 6.1 р pH р 8.7, 21.0 р θ р 30.0 ЊC, in excess of -ascorbic acid at a constant ionic strength of 0.50 mol dm Ϫ3 (NaClO 4 ). Overall the reaction occurs in two distinct stages. The first, involving saturation kinetics, proceeds with an increase in absorbance at wavelengths 350-390 nm. During this stage the pentaamminechromato complex and the ascorbate anion react via an outer-sphere mechanism to form an ion pair. The rate equation for this stage is (i)with [A] T being total ascorbate, K 4 and k 5 are the equilibrium constant for adduct formation and first-order rate constant for its decomposition, respectively. At 25.0 ЊC, k 5 and K 4 have respective values of (3.5 ± 0.4) × 10 Ϫ2 s Ϫ1 and (8.5 ± 1.7) × 10 2 dm 3 mol Ϫ1 . The second stage involving a decrease in absorbance at similar wavelengths is the reduction of the free chromium() ion which is postulated to have been formed during the first stage of the reaction. The pseudo-first-order rate constant for this stage can be expressed as in equation (ii) where K 1 and K 6