Chapter 1

Thermodynamic & Kinetic Review [Overview (Section i)]

Gary W. Caldwell

Abstract

Introduction Chemical reactions are processes in which reactants are transformed into products in the presence of a solvent. Many complex chemical reactions and biological processes that occur in solution can be described by using a series of simple stepwise chemical reactions. Thus, the mechanism of complex chemical reactions and biological process can be defined as contributions from all these stepwise chemical reactions. Thermodynamic and kinetic concepts deal with the physical and chemical relationships between reactants and products. In particular, chemical thermodynamic deals with relationships between energy properties of reactants and products at equilibrium and with energy differences in these properties between various equilibrium states while chemical kinetic deals with rates of reactions (i.e., how fast reactants are converted to products) and how these rates depend upon experimental factors such as, concentration, solvent, and temperature. Therefore, thermodynamic and kinetic concepts are important in providing essential mechanistic evidence in support of any chemical or biological process....

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