Equilibrium constants are determined for the reaction of ethylester and methyl ester (aquo) cobaloximes with histamine, histidine, glycine and ethyl glycine ester as a function of pH at 25°C, using spectrophotometric technique. The functional dependence of pK_a on the substitution rate of H₂O varies with the pK_a of the incoming ligand, establishing the existence of nucleophilic participation of the ligand in the transition state. This data is interpreted with the help of kinetic data where dissociation kinetic reactions were also studied as a function of pH. Binding and kinetic data were correlated based on the basicity, steric hindrance of the entering ligand and HSAB principle. To compare the rate constants of the entering ligands pH-independent second-order rate constants were calculated. The effect of incoming ligand on Co-C bond is studied using molecular mechanics

Substitution reactions of propyl cobaloxime with imidazole, substituted imidazoles, histidine, histamine, glycine and ethyl glycine ester are carried out as a function of pH. Trends in the formation constants are explained based on the steric hindrance, extent of π-bonding and Σ-donor capacity of the incoming ligand. Molecular mechanics is used to theoretically determine the bond length and bond strain values by MM2 parametrization and these are correlated with the experimental data.