. Can. J. Chem. 62, 2 127 (1 984). The reaction of ~-peroxybis(ethylenediamine)bis(diethylenetriamine)~~balt(III) with ferrous ions has been studied by stopped flow spectrophotometry and by 5yCo nmr. Two separate initial reduction steps with second order rate constants of 1.0: and 3.04 M-' s-I, respectively, can be discerned in the stopped flow experiments. These two rate constants are assigned to inner sphere reduction of the aef,cd.b and edf,ac.b isomers of the peroxy cobalt complex, respectively. The different isomers can be distinguished by 5'Co nrnr. If there is insufficient Fe" present to completely reduce the complex to Co(I1) and water, the change in the relative intensities of the 5'Co resonances after partial reduction shows that one isomer has reacted faster than the other. The 5'Co resonances can be assigned to the different isomers on the basis of a point charge model for the chemical shifts and line widths. Based on this model it is concluded that the isomer with the central NH of the diethylenetriamine trans to the peroxy ligand reacts faster. This result is compared to literature reports on the relative rates of substitution of isomers of Co (II1) On peut distinguer les differents isomkres _mice j. la rmn du "Co. Si la quantiti de Fe" presente n'est pas suffisante pour reduire completement le complexe en Co(I1) et en eau. le changement des intensites relatives de la resonance du 5yCo, apres la reduction partielle. montre qu'un isomirre reagit plus vite que l'autre. On peut attribuer les resonances du 5 y~o aux diffirents isomeres en se basant sur un modele de charge ponctuelle pour les deplacements chimiques et les largeurs des pics. En se basant sur ce modkle. on conclut que I'isomkre qui reagit le plus rapidement est celui qui porte le NH central de la diethylenetriamine en position trans par rapport aux ligand epoxy. On compare ce resultat ceux repertories dans la litterature pour les vitesses relatives de substitution des isomkres des complexes du Co(ll1) avec des ligands d'ethylenediamine et de diethylknetriamine.[Traduit par le journal] Introduction A series of compounds formed by the reaction of molecular oxygen with solutions containing Co(I1) ions has been extensively studied (1 -3). The complexes with the stoichiometry of two Co atoms to one oxygen molecule are correctly formulated as peroxy compounds containing Co in the 3+ oxidation state. One electron oxidation of these compounds leads to the corresponding superoxy complexes. Complete reduction of the peroxo compounds to Co(I1) and water requires four equivalents of a one electron reducing agent. There have been a number of studies of the mechanisms of these reductions motivated by the analogies with reactions of biological importance (4-6). It seems well established (4) that the first step in the reduction of the superoxo complexes is an outer sphere electron transfer and that reduction of the peroxy compounds is initiated by an inner sphere electron transfer. Subsequent steps are less well understood.McLendon and Martell (5) have ...