Complex reactions Mechanisms classification

It is now absolutely clear that the computer-aided numerical simulation is not a panacea for the study of complex reactions. An urgent problem is to establish the qualitative effect of the structure of a complex reaction mechanism on its kinetic characteristics. This problem is intimately connected with the classification of mechanisms. 

Complex reaction mechanisms can conveniently be grouped within the following classification consecutive reactions, parallel reactions and reversible reactions. Parallel reactions are those in which the same species participates in two or more competitive steps. Consecutive reactions are characterised by the product of the first reaction being a reactant in a subsequent process, leading to formation of the final product. Reversible reactions are those in which the products of the initial reaction can recombine to regenerate the reactant. 

To this point we have focused on reactions with rates that depend upon one concentration only. They may or may not be elementary reactions indeed, we have seen reactions that have a simple rate law but a complex mechanism. The form of the rate law, not the complexity of the mechanism, is the key issue for the analysis of the concentration-time curves. We turn now to the consideration of rate laws with additional complications. Most of them describe more complicated reactions and we can anticipate the finding that most real chemical reactions are composites, composed of two or more elementary reactions. Three classifications of composite reactions can be recognized (1) reversible or opposing reactions that attain an equilibrium (2) parallel reactions that produce either the same or different products from one or several reactants and (3) consecutive, multistep processes that involve intermediates. In this chapter we shall consider the first two. Chapter 4 treats the third. 

Examples of photoreactions may be found among nearly all classes of organic compounds. From a synthetic point of view a classification by chromo-phore into the photochemistry of carbonyl compounds, enones, alkenes, aromatic compounds, etc., or by reaction type into photochemical oxidations and reductions, eliminations, additions, substitutions, etc., might be useful. However, photoreactions of quite different compounds can be based on a common reaction mechanism, and often the same theoretical model can be used to describe different reactions. Thus, theoretical arguments may imply a rather different classification, based, for instance, on the type of excited-state minimum responsible for the reaction, on the number and arrangement of centers in the reaction complex, or on the number of active orbitals per center. (Cf. Michl and BonaCid-Kouteck, 1990.)... 

In this chapter, we outline the principles of classification, coding and decoding, and estimating the complexity of reaction mechanisms, as well as develop some approaches to identification of the topological structure of linear mechanisms. 

In order to form a bridge between the laboratory (chemical) experiments and the theoretical (mathematical) models we refer to Table I. In a traditional approach, experimental chemists are concerned with Column I of Table I. As this table implies there are various types of research areas thus research interests. Chemists interested in the characteristics of reactants and products resemble mathematicians who are interested in characteristics of variables, e.g. number theorists, real and complex variables theorists, etc. Chemists who. are interested in reaction mechanism thus in chemical kinetics may be compared to mathematicians interested in dynamics. Finally, chemists interested in findings resulting from the study of reactions are like mathematicians interested in critical solutions and their classifications. In chemical reactions, the equilibrium state which corresponds to the stable steady states is the expected result. However, it is recently that all interesting solutions both stationary and oscillatory, have been recognized as worthwhile to consider. 

Bearing in mind a mechanistic consideration, we propose to divide all the C-H bond splitting reactions promoted by metal complexes into three groups. This formal classification is based on the reaction mechanisms. 

CLASSIFICATION OF REACTION MECHANISMS IN INORGANIC CHEMISTRY INVOLVING METAL COMPLEXES (D, A, I, AND I MECHANISMS)... 

Classification exclusively in terms of a few basic mechanisms is the ideal approach, but in a comprehensive review of this kind, one is presented with all reactions, and not merely the well-documented (and well-behaved) ones which are readily denoted as inner- or outer-sphere electron transfer, hydrogen atom transfer from coordinated solvent, ligand transfer, concerted electron transfer, etc. Such an approach has been made on a more limited scale. Turney has considered reactions in terms of the charges and complexing of oxidant and reductant but this approach leaves a large number to be coped with under further categories. 

This is the most common route, the reagent being a metal compound/solvent combination. Typical conditions call for the metal salt (e.g., acetate) in a buffer system (e.g., NaOAc/AcOH) and a co-solvent such as chloroform. Generally the reaction mixture is refluxed until the metal complex spectrum (see Section 9.22.5.6 and Table 4) is fully developed. Metal acetylacetonates and metal phenoxides have also been employed. The topic has been reviewed in detail by Buchler,51 who has also summarized the history and classification of metal complexes of this series, and the mechanisms of metalation.52... 

Recent data on other alloys confirm the overall classification presented above, but at the same time lead to some refinement of the picture. For example, the most diluted Pt-Au alloys revealed isomerization, identified as running via 3C intermediates. This evidence was obtained (248) by establishing the fact that pentane isomerizes on most diluted Pt-Au alloys with 100% selectivity, whereas this molecule can only isomerize via the 3C complexes. This conclusion has been confirmed by the isotopic labeling method (269). It is therefore reasonable to assume that this isomerization can also proceed on isolated Pt sites, as can a part of dehydrocyclization and the dehydrogenation. We must conclude on the basis of this information that on metals like Pt, the fast multisite and the slow one-site mechanisms of hydrocarbon reactions may operate in parallel with each other. 

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