Kinetics and mechanism of the aquation of the trinuclear cation, [μ3-oxo-triaqua-hexakis(acetato)tris(iron(III))]+in perchloric acid media

The 'basic trinuclear iron(III) acetate' ion aquates via two proton assisted rate determining steps to produce an unstable intermediate, which contains dangling acetate ligands. This intermediate aquates rapidly and completely to aqueous iron(III) and acetate in perchloric acid media.