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Reaction Mechanism Notes

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Kadunan Freitas
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10 views2 pages

Reaction Mechanism Notes

Uploaded by

Kadunan Freitas
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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What is a Reaction mechanism

Most chemical Reactions occur via a series of elementary steps


- The sum of the elementary steps must give the overall balanced equation
from the reaction.
- The mechanism must agree with the experimentally determined rate law.
Consider the reaction 2NO (g) O2-> 2NOs
Elementary Step 1 No + NO -> N2O2
Elementary Step 2 N2O2
Rate = k[CO][NO2]
Elementary Steps:
NO2+NO2-> NO3 + NO rate =k[NO2]2
NO3+ CO -> CO2 + NO2 rate =k [CO]
______________________
NO2 + CO -> NO + CO2
The reaction intermediate is what is consumed in the forduced in the first and it
made in the second step.
An elementary step is a reaction whose rate law can be written from its
molecularity.
Note:
Molecularity is the number of species that must react to produce a reaction.
A unimolecular step involves only one molecule.
A bimolecular step involves two molecules and so on….
A – Products unimolecular Rate k[A]
A + A – products bimolecular Rate= k[A]2
A raction mechanism is a series of elementary steps that must satisfy the
following:
1. The sum of the elementary steps must give the overall balanced equation
for the reaction.
2. The mechanism must agree with the experimentally determined rate law.
For the second condition we need to determine the rate determining step.
- The rate determining step is the slowest among the elementary steps.
- No matter how fast the other elementary steps occur, the overall rate of
the reaction will still depend on the kinetics of the rate determining step!
Rate = k[NO2]2[CO]
Since NO2 is the slower step it determines the rate law of the reaction.
Collision Theory and Activation Energy:
Why does a reaction rate increase the heating and stirring?
You induce mechanical energy towards the solution therefore it encourages more
collisions therefore the reactions
A Model for chemical kinetics
Collision Model
- The molecules must collide in order to react with one another, however
not all collisions lead to product formation.
- Aside from mere collisions the molecules must also be properly oriented
during the collision event.
Activation Energy:
On top of the collison with proper orientation, the is also a”threshold energy”
required for a reaction to proceed.
Activation energy is the energy required for a reaction to take place.
Upon collision, the reactant form an “activated complex” in the transition state.
Arrhenieus equations
K=Ae
What is a catalyst:

- It is a substance that increases the rate of reaction without being


consumed.
- It provides an alternate path with lower activation energy.

Heterogenous Catalysis
Usually involves gaseous reactions that are absorbed on the surface of the solid
catalyst.
Homogenous catalysis
The reactants and catalyst exist in a single phase

Heterogenous catalysis
This reaction is very slow at normal temperatures.
Typically heterogenous catalysis involves four steps
1. 1 absorption and activation of the reactants
2. Migration of the absorbed reactants on the surface
3. Reaction of the absorbed substances
4. Escape or desorption of the products.

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