REACTION

INTERMEDIATES
Diaz, John Rafael O.
Matobato, Rica Mae
BSED-SC21
Reaction Intermediates
 Species produced in between the reactants
and products during the reaction.

 Produced due to cleavage of covalent bond.

 Short lived

 Highly reactive
General Reaction
A B
Reactants Products

A X B
Reactants Intermediates Products

Reaction Intermediates
Types of Reaction Intermediates
1. Free Radical
2. Carbocation
3. Carbanion
4. Carbene
 Types of Bond fission

Homolytic fission Heterolytic fission

(Symmetrical) (Unsymmetrical)

A B A B
Heterolytic fission
Homolytic fission

AFree+Radicals
B A + B
Cation Anion
Free Radical
 Atom or group of atoms having unpaired electron (odd electron).
 Formed due to homolytic fission of covalent bond.
Homolytic fission

A B A +B
Free Radicals

Ex.
Homolytic fission

R–H R + H
ALKANE Alkyl Free Radicals
Classification of Free Radical
Carbenes
 Reactive neutral species in which carbon
atom has six valence electrons.

 Out of six valence electrons, two are

unshared.
 Resources
• https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Physical_and_Theoretical_Ch
emistry_Textbook_Maps/Supplemental_Modules_(Physical_and_Theo
retical_Chemistry)/Kinetics/03%3A_Rate_Laws/3.02%3A_Reaction_Me
chanisms/3.2.05%3A_Reaction_Intermediates
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/
reaction-intermediate
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44CFjdKMHB4&t=204s