, 1085 (1984). Recent theoretical calculations by RappC and Goddard have pointed to the importance of spectator 0x0 groups in stabilizing intermediates produced during thc reduction of high-valent transition metal oxides; intermediates which contain triply-bonded metal 0x0 groups are predicted to be unusually stable. In an attempt to test these conclusions experimentally, the rates of oxidation of cinnamate ion by ruthenate and permthenate ions have been studied. Since the most likely intermediate formed from permthenate ion (but not ruthenate ion) would contain a stabilizing, triply-bonded spectator 0x0 group, it would be expected to react faster if the calculations are correct. In agreement with these predictions, it was found that the activation energy (AG*) for the ruthenate reaction was about 7 kcal/mol higher than for the corresponding permthenate reaction. DONALD G. LEE et STUART HELLIWELL. Can. J . Chem. 62, 1085 (1984) Les recents calculs thCoriques de RappC et Goddard ont mis en Cvidence I'importance des groupes 0x0 spectateurs dans la stabilisation dcs intermediaires obtenus lors de la riduction d'oxydes de mCtaux de transition de valence ClevCe; d'apres ces calculs, les intermCdiaires qui contiennent les groupes 0x0 triplement liCs au metal seront particulierement stables. Dans le but de verifier expCrimentalement cette hypothkse, on a CtudiC les vitesses d'oxydation de I'ion cinnamate par les ions ruthenate et permthCnate. Puisque l'intermtdiaire le plus communtment form6 a partir de I'ion permthenate (mais non B partir de I'ion ruthhate) contiendrait le groupe spectateur 0x0 triplement liC, on pourrait s'attendre 21 ce qu'il soit plus rkactif si les calculs sont corrects. En accord avec ces prkvisions, on a trouvC que I'tnergie d'activation (AG*) de la rCaction du ruthhate est d'environ 7 kcal/mol plus ClevCe que celle de la rCaction correspondante du permthCnate.[Traduit par le journal] Introduction Transition metal oxides and oxyanions have been used extensively as oxidants in both inorganic and organic chemistry (1). The driving force in most such reactions is generally considered to be a lowering of the oxidation number of the oxidant, which may formally be considered as a flow of electrons into the d orbitals of the metal. Since many of the high-valent do, d l , and d2 oxidants are capable of accepting several electrons before reaching a stable oxidation state, these reactions usually proceed in several steps with the formation of a number of intermediates of greater or lesser stability. The reactions are consequently of interest from both a practical and a theoretical point of view.RappC and Goddard (2) have recently described results, obtained from a theoretical study, that are extremely useful for predicting which intermediates are most likely to be formed during the course of several of these reactions. By use of ab initio methods they found that the metal-0x0 bonds present substantially influenced the stability of an intermediate. Metal-0x0 groups which have triple bond character were f...