E-J Chem.,8(2), pp 513- 516

Chromium metal has played a prominent role in the development of inorganic chemistry.Chromium trioxide reacts vigorously with organic substances; is widely used as an oxidant in synthetic organic chemistry1-3. Complexation reactions with organic ligands produce coordination compounds / complexes with differing degree of thermodynamic stability and lability4-7. It has been reported that the covalent coordinate bond having energy 20-80 kcal/mol with first row metal ligand bond show high stability and high lability8-9. A rapid reaction rate has been observed between Cr(III)-Schiff�s base complexes and nicotinic acid and there are also some other systems such as porphyrin complexes with similar labile kinetic behavior10-13. Chromium(III) octahedral complexes are generally inert to the substitution of inner sphere water molecules by other ligands but some report indicate, however, the chromium(III) complexes, Aqua (ethylenediaminetriaaceto acetic acid) chromium(III), with one molecule of water and a five coordinate EDTA type ligand shows unexpectedly rapid substitution rates with several anionic ligands. It has been suggested that these reactions are due in part to strain present in the complex14.In the present investigation, we have studied on the synthesis and characterization of chromium metal complex using benzoic acid as the ligand. Thermal behavior of this complex has also been investigated to understand the thermodynamic stability and lability of this complex.