THE FOUNDATIONS OF CHEMICAL KINETICS

This textbook has emerged from the lectures on chemical kinetics given by the author for more than 15 years to chemistry students at Moscow State University as part of a general course in physical chemistry. Much space in the book is devoted to the fundamental concepts, and therefore it may serve as an elementary textbook. On the other hand, the book provides a more detailed treatment of some theoretical problems than is found in ordinary courses of physical chemistry. For instance, the section dealing with unimolecular reactions has been considerably augmented; an example is a detailed account of the Slater theory.

Furthermore, the author has found it useful to supplement the treatment of the various aspects of the theory of the activated complex (transition-state theory) with concrete examples of the application of this theory to bimolecular reactions involving complexes of various configurations, the results of calculations being compared with the theory of activated collisions. This information should be helpful in applying the theory of kinetics in practical work. The exposition of the principles of transition-state theory is preceded by Chapter 5, which is devoted to the foundations of statistical thermodynamics. The experience of teaching physical chemistry at the Chemistry Department has shown that this chapter may be self-contained in a study of the fundamentals of thermodynamics.

Separate chapters are concerned with the kinetics of photochemical reactions and reactions taking place in electrical discharges. The inclusion of these topics may evidently be partly explained by the author’s personal tastes and the trend of his work in the corresponding fields of chemical kinetics.

Reactions in solutions and homogeneous catalysis in solutions are treated in Chapter 12. Here, much attention is paid to the theory of intermediates and, in particular, to the classical works of E. I. Shpitalsky, a Professor at Moscow University.

The author has deliberately avoided expounding heterogeneous catalysis, an area so wide that it would have increased the size of the book three times at least, among other things.

This book is intended both for beginning students of chemical kinetics and chemistry and chemical engineering for a more thorough study of the subject. It may also be useful for postgraduates and all those wishing to study chemical kinetics.