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Kinetics, Thermodynamics, and the Problem of Selectivity: The Maturation of an Idea
Author(s) -
Berson Jerome A.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.200600229
Subject(s) - selectivity , thermodynamics , kinetics , chemistry , maleic anhydride , computational chemistry , organic chemistry , physics , polymer , classical mechanics , catalysis , copolymer
Why so slow? Why did it take several decades for the concept of selectivity to develop into a fundamental consideration in organic chemistry? The Essay describes the reception by the scientific community in the first half of the 20th century of the principles of kinetic versus thermodynamic control and explains the physical basis of selectivity (see picture: energy diagram for the reaction of pentamethylenefulvene (A) and maleic anhydride (B)).