Gas-Phase Ionic Reactions: Dynamics and Mechanism of Nucleophilic Displacements

• DOI: 10.1126/science.279.5358.1882
• Publication Date: 2002-07-27T05:49:42Z
• Authors: Michael L. Chabinyc; Stephen L. Craig; Colleen K. Regan; John I. Brauman
• Keywords: 0303 health sciences; 03 medical and health sciences; 01 natural sciences; 0104 chemical sciences

Nucleophilic displacement reactions (the S N 2 reaction) of ions in the gas phase are a prototypical reaction system that allows a study of dynamics, mechanisms, and structure-energy relations. This article reviews aspects of the kinetics (especially the applicability of statistical reaction rate theory), the relation of structure and reactivity, and the effects of small numbers of solvent molecules on the reaction and compares the behavior of the ionic reaction in the gas phase with that in solution.