"A reaction mechanism is the step by step sequence of elementary reactions by which overall chemical reaction occurs."
The study of the step-by-step process of a chemical reaction and how it occurs at the molecular level.
Bond breaking and formation: Understanding how covalent bonds are broken and formed is essential when studying reaction mechanisms. This topic involves understanding concepts such as bond polarity, electrostatic interactions, and energetics.
Reaction kinetics: Kinetics deals with the study of the rates of chemical reactions. It involves understanding reaction mechanisms and the factors that affect reaction rates.
Thermodynamics: Thermodynamics deals with the study of energy transformations and the relationships between heat, work, and internal energy. It involves understanding concepts such as enthalpy, entropy, and free energy.
Reaction intermediates: Intermediates are short-lived species that are formed during a chemical reaction. Understanding the nature, stability, and reactivity of intermediates is essential when studying reaction mechanisms.
Acid-base reactions: Acid-base reactions are a fundamental type of chemical reaction that involves the transfer of a proton (H+). This topic involves understanding the properties of acid and base species, the strength of acids and bases, and the factors that affect acidity and basicity.
Nucleophilic substitution: This is a reaction mechanism in which a nucleophile attacks an electrophile and replaces a leaving group. This topic involves understanding the nature of nucleophiles and electrophiles, the properties of leaving groups, and the factors that affect reaction rates.
Elimination reactions: Elimination reactions are a reaction mechanism in which a molecule loses a leaving group and forms a double bond or a triple bond. Understanding the properties of leaving groups and the factors that affect reaction rates is essential in this topic.
Addition reactions: Addition reactions are a reaction mechanism in which a molecule adds to a double bond or a triple bond. This topic involves understanding the nature of electrophiles and nucleophiles, the properties of double and triple bonds, and the factors that affect reaction rates.
Redox reactions: Redox reactions involve the transfer of electrons between species. This topic involves understanding oxidation numbers, electron transfer reactions, and the factors that affect reaction rates.
Catalysis: Catalysts are substances that increase the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the reaction. This topic involves understanding different types of catalysts and how they affect reaction rates.
Homogeneous catalysis: It is a reaction mechanism where a catalyst with the same phase as the reactants is used to speed up the reaction rate.
Heterogeneous catalysis: Different phase catalyst is used which is mostly chemical metal like platinum and palladium for reaction rate enhancement.
Radical reactions: It is a reaction mechanism where free radicals participate in the reaction.
Acid-base reactions: This is a reaction mechanism where a protons donor (acid) reacts with proton acceptor (base) to form products.
Nucleophilic substitution: It is a reaction mechanism where a nucleophile joins a molecule while one part of reacted molecule is displaced.
Electrophilic substitution: Electrophiles react with an aromatic compound to substitute a new functional group.
Elimination: This type of reaction mechanism where a removal of atom or group of atoms from the original molecule in order to make a new functional group.
Addition: It is a reaction mechanism where two reactants combine to form a larger molecule with an additional functional group.
Redox reactions: This mechanism involves a transfer of electrons from one reactant to another.
Photochemistry: It is a reaction mechanism that involves the absorption of light by reactants to form highly reactive molecules.
"A chemical mechanism is a theoretical conjecture that tries to describe in detail what takes place at each stage of an overall chemical reaction."
"The detailed steps of a reaction are not observable in most cases."
"The conjectured mechanism is chosen because it is thermodynamically feasible and has experimental support in isolated intermediates (see next section) or other quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the reaction."
"A complete mechanism must also explain the reason for the reactants and catalyst used, the stereochemistry observed in reactants and products, all products formed and the amount of each."
"The electron or arrow pushing method is often used in illustrating a reaction mechanism; for example, see the illustration of the mechanism for benzoin condensation in the following examples section."
"Often what appears to be a single-step conversion is in fact a multistep reaction." Quotes: