Kinetics of the overall reaction[Cr
3O(O
2CCH
3)
6(H
2O)
3]
++ 3 urea
[Cr
3O(O
2CCH
3)
6(urea)
3]
++ 3H
2O havebeen studied spectrophotometrically. Monophasic kinetics wereobserved in both directions. The reverse steps,of urea dissociation, were monitored using an analytical techniquewhich permits direct determination of theconcentration of liberated urea and does not require knowledge ofextinction coefficients of intermediate species.Results imply that consecutive steps occur with rate constants inclose to the statistical ratios of
k1:
k2:
k3= 3:2:1and
k-1:
k-2:
k-3= 1:2:3. Rates indicate strong labilization of urea, compared tothe case of mononuclear complex[Cr(urea)
6]
3+.