Question

What is a kinetic phenomenon vs. thermodynamic effect?

Answer 1

Thermodynamic effect or kinetic phenomenon in a chemical reaction can decide the composition in a reaction products when it leads to different products and the reaction conditions influence the selectivity or stereoselectivity. The distinction when product X forms faster than product Y because the activation energy for product X is lower than that for product Y. In such a case X is the kinetic product and is favoured under kinetic control and Y is the thermodynamic product and is favoured under thermodynamic control.

The conditions of the reaction, e.g temperature, pressure, or solvent, affect which reaction pathway may be favored: either the kinetically controlled or the thermodynamically controlled one.