Structure-reactivity relationships, role

The specific goal of the mechanistic studies of DcNOx reaction is to identify the key intermediates involved in the N—N and 0—0 bonds making, discriminate them from spectator species and ascertain the sequence and conditions of their appearance. To clarify the role of the mono- and dinitrosyl complexes as intermediates or spectators of the principal mechanistic reaction steps, it is necessary to develop a more in-depth insight into the structure-reactivity relationships for both adducts, and to understand the possible ways of attaching the second NO molecule to the mononitrosyl complex. 

In summary, we have shown that stable cationic charge centers can significantly enhance the reactivities of adjacent electrophilic centers. Most of the studied systems involve reactive dicationic electrophiles. A number of the reactive dications have been directly observed by low temperature NMR. Along with their clear structural similarities to superelectrophiles, these dicationic systems are likewise capable of reacting with very weak nucleophiles. Utilization of these reactive intermediates has led to the development of several new synthetic methodologies, while studies of their reactivities have revealed interesting structure-activity relationships. Based on the results from our work and that of others, it seems likely that similar modes of activation will be discovered in biochemical systems (perhaps in biocatalytic roles) in the years to come. 

Our article has concentrated on the relationships between vibrational spectra and the structures of hydrocarbon species adsorbed on metals. Some aspects of reactivities have also been covered, such as the thermal evolution of species on single-crystal surfaces under the UHV conditions necessary for VEELS, the most widely used technique. Wider aspects of reactivity include the important subject of catalytic activity. In catalytic studies, vibrational spectroscopy can also play an important role, but in smaller proportion than in the study of chemisorption. For this reason, it would not be appropriate for us to cover a large fraction of such work in this article. Furthermore, an excellent outline of this broader subject has recently been presented by Zaera (362). Instead, we present a summary account of the kinetic aspects of perhaps the most studied system, namely, the interreactions of ethene and related C2 species, and their hydrogenations, on platinum surfaces. We consider such reactions occurring on both single-crystal faces and metal oxide-supported finely divided catalysts. 

Analysis of structure-activity relationships shows that various species characterized by different reactivities exist on the surface of vanadium oxide-based catalysts.339 The redox cycle between V5+ and V4+ is generally accepted to play a key role in the reaction mechanism, although opposite relationships between activity and selectivity, and reducibility were established. More recent studies with zirconia-supported vanadium oxide catalysts showed that vanadium is present in the form of isolated vanadyl species or oligomeric vanadates depending on the loading.345,346 The maximum catalytic activity was observed for catalysts with vanadia content of 3-5 mol% for which highly dispersed polyvanadate species are dominant. 

We shall consider first the relationship between the structures of alkyl derivatives and their reaction rates toward a given nucleophile. This will be followed by a discussion of the relative reactivities of various nucleophiles toward a given alkyl derivative. Finally, we shall comment in more detail on the role of the solvent in SN reactions. 

The conclusion that should be drawn from this discussion is that there are two kinds of acidity that must not be confused (1) an intrinsic acidity, which is best approximated by gas-phase measurements and which reflects the properties of the ions and molecules in isolation, and (2) a practical liquid-phase acidity in which solvation effects may play the dominant role. In interpretation of structure-reactivity relationships, the liquid-phase acidity will probably be misleading unless the structures being compared are very similar for thinking about chemical behavior in solution, however, the liquid-phase acidities are clearly the important ones. 

History of physical organic chemistry is essentially the history of new ideas, philosophies, and concepts in organic chemistry. New instrumentations have played an essential role in the mechanistic study. Organic reaction theory and concept of structure-reactivity relationship were obtained through kinetic measurements, whose precision depended on the development of instrument. Development of NMR technique resulted in evolution of carbocation chemistry. Picosecond and femtosecond spectroscopy allowed us to elucidate kinetic behavior of unstable intermediates and even of transition states (TSs) of chemical reactions. 

This volume aims at providing a coherent presentation of recent developments and understanding of heavy metal reactivity in soils. Such an understanding is necessary in addressing heavy metals concerns in the environment. The implicit framework of multiple reactivity acknowledges the widely known role played by the various colloidal surface functional groups in concomitant reactions. This overarching frame of reference allows unification between molecular structure-reactivity relationships at one scale and transport processes at the other. 

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