Kinetics and mechanism of the Os(VIII)-catalysed oxidation of hypophosphite and phenylphosphinite ion by alkaline hexacyanoferrate(III) ion

The OsO4-catalysed oxidation of RHPO2- by alkaline Fe(CN)63- is zero order in Fe(CN)63-, first order in OsO4 and Michaelis-Menten kinetics is observed with respect to RHPO2-. Consistent with this the suggested mechanism is: