Chemical Kinetics

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
• To recognise the fundamental theories of reaction rates, mechanism of chain reactions
• To develop a deeper knowledge in chemical kinetics, mechanism of heterogeneous catalysis, enzyme catalysis and mechanisms.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

After the completion of the course, students will be able to –

• Understand the theories of reaction rates and different types of reactions.
• Understand acid base catalysis and mechanisms.

SYLLABUS

Module I – Theories of reaction rates:

Lesson 1: Collision theory,kinetic theory of collisions, steric factor, potential energy surfaces.

Lesson 2 : Conventional transition state theory

Lesson 3 : Thermodynamic formulation of the reaction rate-Eyring equation.  Significance of ΔG≠, ΔH≠ and ΔS≠, volume of activation.

Lesson 4 : Comparison of  the ACT & Collision theory

Lesson 5 :Effect of pressure and volume on velocity of gas reactions.

Module II – Unimolecular reactions

Lesson 1 –  Lindemann- Hinshelwood mechanism

Lesson 2 –  RRKM theory

Module III – Chain reactions

Lesson 1: Chain initiation processes, steady state treatment

Lesson 2 : kinetics of H₂-Cl₂ and H₂-Br₂ reactions

Lesson 3 : Rice-Herzfeld mechanism for decomposition of ethane and acetaldehyde

Lesson 4 : Goldfingr-Letort-Niclause rules

Lesson 5 : branching chains reactions – Semenov-Hinshelwood mechanism , upper and lower explosion limits, the H₂-O₂ reaction

Lesson 6 : kinetics of step growth, free radical, cationic and anionic polymerization reactions.

Module IV : Fast reactions

Lesson 1: Relaxation methods

Lesson 2 : flow and shock methods

Lesson 3: flash photolysis

Lesson 4 : NMR methods

Lesson 5 : ESR methods

Module V : Reactions in solution

Lesson 1: Factors determining reaction rates in solutions, effect of  dielectric constant and ionic strength

Lesson 2: cage effect, Bronsted-Bjerrum equation

Lesson 3:  primary and secondary kinetic salt effect.

Module VI – Acid base catalysis

Lesson 1: Specific and general catalysis

Lesson 2: Skrabal diagram

Lesson 3 : Bronsted catalysis law

Lesson 4 : prototropic and protolytic, acidity  function.

Module VII : Enzyme catalysis

Lesson 1: Michelis-Menten equation, effect of pH  and temperature on enzyme catalysis.

Module VIII : Introduction to oscillating chemical reactions

Lesson 1 : auto-catalysis

Lesson 2 : the Lotka-Volterra mechanism

Lesson 3 : the brusselator, the oreganator, bistability.