Reaction mechanism

Definition

A reaction mechanism is a step-by-step sequence of elementary reactions by which overall chemical change occurs. It outlines the specific way in which reactants convert to products, including the formation and breaking of bonds.

Related terms

Activation Energy:

The minimum amount of energy required for a chemical reaction to proceed.

Intermediate:

A temporary species formed during the multistep reaction process that lies between the reactants and products.

Transition State:

A high-energy state during a chemical reaction where old bonds are breaking and new bonds are forming, representing the point of highest energy along the reaction path