Which one of these species involved in a chemical reaction has the shortest time of existence?
A. reactants
B. transition states
C. intermediates
D. products
Answer: C intermediates
An intermediate is a short-lived unstable molecule in a
reaction. It shows a slight reduction in energy on the reaction
coordinate.
A transition state is the transition to a new molecule. It has
everything it needs to be the new molecule and is the highest point
on the reaction coordinate.
An intermediate would be something like a carbocation, and a transition state would be the 5-membered carbon complex that forms in an SN2 reaction.
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