Three Theorems for the Spectroscopic -Kinetic Analysis of Chemical Reactions

• Published in: Zeitschrift für Naturforschung A
• Main Authors: Mauser, H., Polster, J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Walter de Gruyter GmbH 1995
• Subjects: Physical and Theoretical Chemistry; General Physics and Astronomy; Mathematical Physics; Carbonic acid
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/zna-1995-1109; https://www.degruyter.com/view/journals/zna/50/11/article-p1031.xml; https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/zna-1995-1109/xml; https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/zna-1995-1109/pdf

Abstract The results obtained in the last 25-30 years for the spectroscopic-kinetic analysis of reaction systems using absorbance (A) diagrams and the method of formal integration are summarised in three theorems. Theorem 1: A reaction mechanism can be experimentally disproved but not proved. Theorem 2: Two strictly linear reaction systems having the same number of linearly independent reaction steps can not be distinguished from each other by purely spectroscopic means. Theorem 3: Thermally controlled reaction systems which consist of two linearly independent reaction steps -one step of which is at least a reaction of second order -can not be distinguished from each other by purely spectroscopic means if their eigenvalues have the same functional dependence on the initial concentrations. The advantages of the formalism presented are demonstrated using the photoreduction of anthraquinone-2-carbonic acid in alkaline methanolic solution.