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+ Halogenation
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Kifayat Kifayatkhan

Deriving rate law from a reaction mechanism for a chain reaction using steady-state approximation

Blessing Emmanuella  Follow

In the book that Wikipedia cites (Advanced Organic Chemistry: Reaction MechanismsBy Reinhard Bruckner, ISBN 9780080498805), they have a different set of assumptions. They are saying the formation of chlorine radicals proceeds by a fast equilibrium. Then, they say that the organic radical is at steady state, ignoring reaction (4) given by the OP (the termination reaction).

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Where am I going wrong?

I'm not sure why your steady state approximation is less appropriate than that of the textbook. I'm sure that there is some experimental data (and some fitted rate constants) that would speak to that. Also, the appropriate approximation depends on the initial conditions.

[Comment from Poutnik] The initiation rate may not depend on [Cl2]( for high enough [Cl2]), but on irradiation level only. i.e being a reaction of zero order.

The derivation in the book is for the thermal reaction, but the OP asked about the photocatalyzed reaction, so there is a discrepancy there.

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Gardening for pleasure!  Follow
@ShoubhikRMaiti That is not the only difference. For your set of equations, [Cl] depends on [R]. For the assumptions in the textbook, it doesnt, so it becomes possible to get a simple expression for the steady state of [R], and for the rate of product formation.More
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Ivelina Georgieva  Follow
But I dont understand why using one termination reaction (R and Cl) instead of another termination reaction (Cl and Cl, which would give the equilibrium) would change the rate law. The text books rate law is $\ce{\sqrt{[Cl2]}[RH]}$ whereas the rate law that I am getting is $\ce{\sqrt{const.+[RH]}[Cl2]}$. (Also this is a question from a book, so it must be a well known problem)More
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Chris Gold  Follow

The mechanism of the gas phase halogenation reactions is discussed in some detail in a paper by Benson and Bus[1]. In the following, I submarised section II ( mechanism and rate laws).

The mechanism of the reaction thermal reaction is

$\ce{X2 + M -> 2X^. + M \;\; k_1 \quad(1) }$

$\ce{2X^. + M -> X2 + M \;\; k_{-1} \quad(-1) }$

$\ce{X^. + RH -> R^. + HX \;\; k_2 \quad(2) }$

$\ce{R^. + HX -> X^. + RH \;\; k_{-2} \quad(-2)} $

$\ce{R^. + X2-> RX + X^. \;\; k_3 \quad(3) }$

$\ce{X^. + RX -> R^. + X2 \;\; k_{-3} \quad(-3) }$

$\ce{R^. + X^. (+ M) ->RCl (+ M) \;\; k_{4} \quad(4) }$

$\ce{R^. + R^. (+ M) -> R2 (+ M) \;\; k_{5} \quad(5)}$

Using the stationary state approximation for the intermediates $R^.$ and $X^.$,and neglecting the back reaction 4 which is generally unimportant[[1]] you find

$ \ce{\frac{|R|}{|X|} = \, \theta \; = \frac{k_2 |RH|}{\,k_3 |X_2|\,} \left(1 + \frac{k_2 |HX|}{k_3 |X_2|}\right)^{-1}}$

$ \ce{|X|_{ss} = \left(\frac{k_1 |M||X_2|}{k_{-2}|M| + k_4 \theta + k_5 \theta^2 } \right)^{1/2}}$

This equation results in

$ \ce{-\frac{d|X_2|}{dt} = k_1|RX||X|_{ss} \left( 1 + \frac{k_{-2}|HX|}{k_{3}|X_2|}\right)^{-1}} $

Depending on which of the postulated termination reactions predominates, the authors obtain three expressions for the velocity equation. Thus in case I,

$ \ce{-\frac{d|X_2|}{dt} = k'|RX||X_2|^{1/2} \left( 1 + \frac{k_{-2}|HX|}{k_{3}|X_2|}\right)^{-1}} $

that for low concentrations of HX reduces to

$ \ce{-\frac{d|X_2|}{dt} = k'|RX||X_2|^{1/2} } $

The equations for a photocatalized reaction are similar to the ones above but you must substitute $k_1$ by $I_a/|M||X_2|$ where $I_a$ is the specific rate of absorption of light.

[1]: S. W. Benson, and J. H. Buss, Kinetics of Gas Phase HalogenationReactions, J. Chem. Phys. 28, 301 (1958); http://doi.org/10.1063/1.1744111

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