Transition state theory, rate determining

This chapter treats the descriptions of the molecular events that lead to the kinetic phenomena that one observes in the laboratory. These events are referred to as the mechanism of the reaction. The chapter begins with definitions of the various terms that are basic to the concept of reaction mechanisms, indicates how elementary events may be combined to yield a description that is consistent with observed macroscopic phenomena, and discusses some of the techniques that may be used to elucidate the mechanism of a reaction. Finally, two basic molecular theories of chemical kinetics are discussed—the kinetic theory of gases and the transition state theory. The determination of a reaction mechanism is a much more complex problem than that of obtaining an accurate rate expression, and the well-educated chemical engineer should have a knowledge of and an appreciation for some of the techniques used in such studies. 

In siunmary, although the application of detailed chemical kinetic modeling to heterogeneous reactions is possible, the effort needed is considerably more involved than in the gas-phase reactions. The thermochemistry of surfaces, clusters, and adsorbed species can be determined in a manner analogous to those associated with the gas-phase species. Similarly, rate parameters of heterogeneous elementary reactions can be estimated, via the application of the transition state theory, by determining the thermochemistry of saddle points on potential energy surfaces. 

Voter, A.F. A Monte Carlo method for determining free-energy differences and transition state theory rate constants. J. Chem. Phys. 1985, 82, 1890-9. 

The microcanonical and canonical variational transition-state theories are based on the assumption that trajectories cross the transition state (TS) only once in forming products(s) or reactants(s) [70,71]. The correction to the transition-state theory rate constant is determined by initializing trajectories at the TS and sampling their coordinates and momenta from the appropriate statistical distribution [72-76]. The value for is the number of trajectories that form product(s) divided by the number of crossings of the TS in the reactant(s) -> produces), direction. Transition state theories assume this ratio is unity. 

The ThermKin code described in chapter 2 is used to determine the elementary reaction rate coefficients and express the rate coefficients in several Arrhenius forms. It utilizes canonical transition state theory to determine the rate parameters. Thermodynamic properties of reactants and transition states are required and can be obtained from either literature sources or computational calculations. ThermKin requires the thermodynamic property to be in the NASA polynomial format. ThermKin determines the forward rate constants, k(T), based on the canonical transition state theory (CTST). 

A. F. Voter, J. Chem. Phys., 82,1890 (1985). A Monte Carlo Method for Determining Free-Energy Differences and Transition State Theory Rate Constants. 

A combined experimental and density functional theory (DFT) study of the thermal decomposition of 2-methyl-l,3-dioxolane, 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane, and cyclopen-tanone ethylene ketal, in the gas phase, has established that acetaldehyde and the corresponding ketone are formed by a unimolecular stepwise mechanism concerted nonsynchronous formation of a four-centred cyclic transition state is rate determining and leads to unstable intermediates that then decompose rapidly through a concerted cyclic six-centred transition state. ... 

Rather than using transition state theory or trajectory calculations, it is possible to use a statistical description of reactions to compute the rate constant. There are a number of techniques that can be considered variants of the statistical adiabatic channel model (SACM). This is, in essence, the examination of many possible reaction paths, none of which would necessarily be seen in a trajectory calculation. By examining paths that are easier to determine than the trajectory path and giving them statistical weights, the whole potential energy surface is accounted for and the rate constant can be computed. 

Electrode kinetics lend themselves to treatment usiag the absolute reaction rate theory or the transition state theory (36,37). In these treatments, the path followed by the reaction proceeds by a route involving an activated complex where the element determining the reaction rate, ie, the rate limiting step, is the dissociation of the activated complex. The general electrode reaction may be described as ... 

The derivation of the transition state theory expression for the rate constant requires some ideas from statistical mechanics, so we will develop these in a digression. Consider an assembly of molecules of a given substance at constant temperature T and volume V. The total number N of molecules is distributed among the allowed quantum states of the system, which are determined by T, V, and the molecular structure. Let , be the number of molecules in state i having energy e,- per molecule. Then , is related to e, by Eq. (5-17), which is known as theBoltzmann distribution. 

The case of m = Q corresponds to classical Arrhenius theory m = 1/2 is derived from the collision theory of bimolecular gas-phase reactions and m = corresponds to activated complex or transition state theory. None of these theories is sufficiently well developed to predict reaction rates from first principles, and it is practically impossible to choose between them based on experimental measurements. The relatively small variation in rate constant due to the pre-exponential temperature dependence T is overwhelmed by the exponential dependence exp(—Tarf/T). For many reactions, a plot of In(fe) versus will be approximately linear, and the slope of this line can be used to calculate E. Plots of rt(k/T" ) versus 7 for the same reactions will also be approximately linear as well, which shows the futility of determining m by this approach. 

Since the factor (kBT/h) is independent of the nature of the reaction, this approach to the transition state theory argues that the free energy of activation (AG ) determines the reaction rate at a given temperature. 

The effect of pressure on chemical equilibria and rates of reactions can be described by the well-known equations resulting from the pressure dependence of the Gibbs enthalpy of reaction and activation, respectively, shown in Scheme 1. The volume of reaction (AV) corresponds to the difference between the partial molar volumes of reactants and products. Within the scope of transition state theory the volume of activation can be, accordingly, considered to be a measure of the partial molar volume of the transition state (TS) with respect to the partial molar volumes of the reactants. Volumes of reaction can be determined in three ways (a) from the pressure dependence of the equilibrium constant (from the plot of In K vs p) (b) from the measurement of partial molar volumes of all reactants and products derived from the densities, d, of the solution of each individual component measured at various concentrations, c, and extrapolation of the apparent molar volume 4>... 

Free energy is the key quantity that is required to determine the rate of a chemical reaction. Within the Conventional Transition State Theory, the rate constant depends on the free energy barrier imposed by the conventional transition state. On the other hand, in the frame of the Variational Transition State Theory, the free energy is the magnitude that allows the location of the variational transition state. Then, it is clear that the evaluation of the free energy is a cornerstone (and an important challenge) in the simulation of the chemical reactions in solution... 

They also discussed the reaction in terms of model activated complexes for a transition state theory treatment. Jones48 in 1951 determined the relative rates of reactions (21) and (25). 

From a study of overall rate constant k(T) for a reaction in the bulk and its dependence on concentrations of reactants, catalyst/inhibitor, temperature etc., the kinetics come up with a mechanism by putting together a lot of direct and indirect evidences. The determination of the overall rate constant k(T) using transition state theory was a more sophisticated approach. But the macroscopic theories such as transition state theory in different versions are split to some extent in some cases, e.g. for very fast reactions. The experimental and theoretical studies in reaction dynamics have given the indications under which it becomes less satisfactory and further work in this direction may contribute much more to solve this problem. 

Third, with recent advances made in theoretical and computational quantum mechanics, it is possible to estimate thermochemical information via electronic structure calculations (Dewar, 1975 Dunning et al., 1988). Such a capability, together with the transition state theory (TST) (Eyring, 1935), also allows the determination of the rate parameters of elementary reactions from first principles. Our ability to estimate activation energy barriers is... 

The transition state theory (TST) developed by Eyring and co-workers has been shown to be extremely useful to describe both the qualitative and quantitative features of chemical processes in the gas and condensed phases (Eyring, 1935 Glasstone et ai, 1941). As we shall discuss below, TST also plays a central role in the determination of rate parameters by quantum mechanics. 

Finally, yet another issue enters into the interpretation of nonlinear Arrhenius plots of enzyme-catalyzed reactions. As is seen in the examples above, one typically plots In y ax (or. In kcat) versus the reciprocal absolute temperature. This protocol is certainly valid for rapid equilibrium enzymes whose rate-determining step does not change throughout the temperature range studied (and, in addition, remains rapid equilibrium throughout this range). However, for steady-state enzymes, other factors can influence the interpretation of the nonlinear data. For example, for an ordered two-substrate, two-product reaction, kcat is equal to kskjl ks + k ) in which ks and k are the off-rate constants for the two products. If these two rate constants have a different temperature dependency (e.g., ks > ky at one temperature but not at another temperature), then a nonlinear Arrhenius plot may result. See Arrhenius Equation Owl Transition-State Theory van t Hoff Relationship... 

In the very short time limit, q (t) will be in the reactants region if its velocity at time t = 0 is negative. Therefore the zero time limit of the reactive flux expression is just the one dimensional transition state theory estimate for the rate. This means that if one wants to study corrections to TST, all one needs to do munerically is compute the transmission coefficient k defined as the ratio of the numerator of Eq. 14 and its zero time limit. The reactive flux transmission coefficient is then just the plateau value of the average of a unidirectional thermal flux. Numerically it may be actually easier to compute the transmission coefficient than the magnitude of the one dimensional TST rate. Further refinements of the reactive flux method have been devised recently in Refs. 31,32 these allow for even more efficient determination of the reaction rate. 

---