Mechanical consistency

In fact, the bimolecular mechanisms are generally more likely. Even the atom recombination reactions sometimes follow a mechanism consisting of a sequence of bimolecular reactions... 

The simplest possible gas-phase reaction mechanisms consist of an elementary reaction and its back reaction. 

The system of coupled differential equations that result from a compound reaction mechanism consists of several different (reversible) elementary steps. The kinetics are described by a system of coupled differential equations rather than a single rate law. This system can sometimes be decoupled by assuming that the concentrations of the intennediate species are small and quasi-stationary. The Lindemann mechanism of thermal unimolecular reactions [18,19] affords an instructive example for the application of such approximations. This mechanism is based on the idea that a molecule A has to pick up sufficient energy... 

A mechanism consistent with these facts is presented m Figure 19 7 The six steps are best viewed as a combination of two distinct stages Formation of a tetrahedral intermediate characterizes the first stage (steps 1-3) and dissociation of this tetra hedral intermediate characterizes the second (steps 4-6)... 

Enzyme-Catalyzed Reactions Enzymes are highly specific catalysts for biochemical reactions, with each enzyme showing a selectivity for a single reactant, or substrate. For example, acetylcholinesterase is an enzyme that catalyzes the decomposition of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine to choline and acetic acid. Many enzyme-substrate reactions follow a simple mechanism consisting of the initial formation of an enzyme-substrate complex, ES, which subsequently decomposes to form product, releasing the enzyme to react again. 

Solid Catalyzed Reaction The pioneers were Langmuir (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 40, 1361 [1918]) and Hinshelwood Kinetics of Chemical Change, Oxford, 1940). For a gas phase reaction A + B Products, catalyzed by a solid, the postulated mechanism consists of the following ... 

Lever and Shaft Mechanisms In pressurized vessels, float-actuated lever and shaft mechanisms are frequently used for level measurement. This type of mechanism consists of a hollow metal float and lever attached to a rotaiy shaft, which transmits the float motion to the outside of the vessel through a rotary seal. 

The horizontal-tvpe screen is actuated bv an enclosed mechanism consisting of off-center vv eights geared together on short horizontal shafts. The mechanism is iisiiallv mounted betvv een the side plates and above the screen bodv (Fig, 19-17),... 

Figure 6.1.1 represents a four step mechanism consisting of the following steps ... 

The hydrolysis of simple imines occurs readily in aqueous acid and has been studied in great detail by kinetic methods. The precise mechanism is a fimction of the reactant structure and the pH of the solution. The overall mechanism consists of an addition of water to the C=N bond, followed by expulsion of the amine from a tetrahedral intermediate. ... 

Certain kinetic aspects of free-radical reactions are unique in comparison with the kinetic characteristics of other reaction types that have been considered to this point. The underlying difference is that many free-radical reactions are chain reactions that is, the reaction mechanism consists of a cycle of repetitive steps which form many product molecules for each initiation event. The hypothetical mechanism below illustrates a chain reaction. 

A catalyst is defined as a substance that influences the rate or the direction of a chemical reaction without being consumed. Homogeneous catalytic processes are where the catalyst is dissolved in a liquid reaction medium. The varieties of chemical species that may act as homogeneous catalysts include anions, cations, neutral species, enzymes, and association complexes. In acid-base catalysis, one step in the reaction mechanism consists of a proton transfer between the catalyst and the substrate. The protonated reactant species or intermediate further reacts with either another species in the solution or by a decomposition process. Table 1-1 shows typical reactions of an acid-base catalysis. An example of an acid-base catalysis in solution is hydrolysis of esters by acids. 

A number of reaction pathways have been proposed for the Fischer indolization reaction. The mechanism proposed by Robinson and Robinson in 1918, which was extended by Allen and Wilson in 1943 and interpreted in light of modem electronic theory by Carlin and Fischer in 1948 is now generally accepted. The mechanism consists of three stages (I) hydrazone-ene-hydrazine equilibrium (II) formation of the new C-C bond via a [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement (III) generation of the indole nucleus by loss of... 

At least two pathways have been proposed for the Nenitzescu reaction. The mechanism outlined below is generally accepted." Illustrated here is the indolization of the 1,4-benzoquinone (4) with ethyl 3-aminocrotonate (5). The mechanism consists of four stages (I) Michael addition of the carbon terminal of the enamine 5 to quinone 4 (II) Oxidation of the resulting hydroquinone 10 to the quinone 11 either by the starting quinone 4 or the quinonimmonium intermediate 13, which is generated at a later stage (HI) Cyclization of the quinone adduct 11, if in the cw-configuration, to the carbinolamine 12 or quinonimmonium intermediate 13 (IV) Reduction of the intermediates 12 or 13 to the 5-hydroxyindole 6 by the initial hydroquinone adduct 7 (or 8, 9,10). 

Aerodynamic drag has also been used to capture energy from the wind. Drag mechanisms consist of flat or cup-shaped devices that turn the rotor. The wind simply pushes the device around the main shaft. Anemometers used to measure wind speed are often drag devices, as are traditional farm windmills. 

Threaded connections are complicated mechanisms consisting of many elements that must interact in prescribed fashion to perform a useful function. Each of these elements of a thread may be gauged individually as described in API RP 5B1, 1st Edition, April 1983. The thread elements are defined as ... 

Is this mechanism consistent with die rate expression ... 

One such case arises in the theory of clocks. As is known, a dock is a mechanism consisting of two parts a torsional pendulum with a small damping, and an escapement mechanism replenishing the energy lost by damping in the torsional pendulum. 

Certain features of the reaction schemes manifest themselves in the rate law in a regular way. These features guide the investigator to one or more mechanisms consistent with the data. The same considerations allow one to reject certain alternatives. Listed here is a set of rules, or more properly clues, that are useful guides to the correct scheme. Each is accompanied by examples as to how they can be applied. 

Chain mechanisms. Consider the reaction and rate given inEqs. (1-13) and (1-14). Devise a mechanism consistent with these data. 

Just the reverse trend characterizes fc2. This reaction is aided by electron donation to the carbonyl carbon, as would be expected if the mechanism consists of electrophilic addition of the proton to the OH group. The reaction constant is p = -1.74. 

This simple oxygen-only mechanism consistently overestimates the O3 concentration in the stratosphere as compared to measured values. This implies that there must be a mechanism for ozone destruction that the Chapman model does not account for. A series of catalytic ozone-destroying reactions causes the discrepancy. Shown below is an ozone-destroying mechanism with NO/NO2 serving as a catalyst ... 

Proton transfers between oxygen and nitrogen acids and bases are usually extremely fast. In the thermodynamically favored direction, they are generally diffusion controlled. In fact, a normal acid is defined as one whose proton-transfer reactions are completely diffusion controlled, except when the conjugate acid of the base to which the proton is transferred has a pA value very close (differs by g2 pA units) to that of the acid. The normal acid-base reaction mechanism consists of three steps ... 

The mechanism consists of two successive nucleophilic substitutions, with the tertiary amine as the first nucleophile and the liberated bromide ion as the second ... 

The MgX of Grignard reagents can migrate to terminal positions in the presence of small amounts of TiCU." The proposed mechanism consists of metal exchange (12-33), elimination-addition, and metal exchange ... 

Ordinary aldehydes and ketones can add to alkenes, under the influence of UV light, to give oxetanes. Quinones also react to give spirocyclic oxetanes. This reaction, called the Patemo-BUchi reaction,is similar to the photochemical dimerization of alkenes discussed at 15-61.In general, the mechanism consists of the addition of an excited state of the carbonyl compound to the ground state of the alkene. Both singlet (5i) and n,n triplet states have been shown to add to... 

Unsymmetrical alkenes can be prepared from a mixture of two ketones, if one is in excess. " The mechanism consists of initial coupling of two radical species to give a 1,2-dioxygen compound (a titanium pinacolate), which is then deoxygenated. " ... 

To illustrate some typical results, consider the deposition of silicon from silane. The gas-phase reaction mechanism consists of 27 elementary reaction... 

A mechanism is a description of the actual molecular events that occur during a chemical reaction. Each such event is an elementary reaction. Elementary reactions involve one, two, or occasionally three reactant molecules or atoms. In other words, elementary reactions can be unimolecular, bimolecular, or termolecular. A typical mechanism consists of a sequence of elementary reactions. Although an overall reaction describes the starting materials and final products, it usually is not elementary because it does not represent the individual steps by which the reaction occurs. 

We finish this section with an example of a dehydrogenation reaction on a metal, which is instructive as it does not rely on equilibrium adsorption, unlike most other examples given in this book. The dehydrogenation of methylcydohexane, CfiHiiCHs, to toluene, QH5CH3, on platinum is well described by a reaction mechanism consisting of consecutive steps in the forward direction only ... 

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