Energy profile
An energy profile is a way of drawing a chemical reaction that shows how the energy changes as the reaction happens. The energy profile is a curve where the local maxima and minima represent transition states and reaction intermediates.
Energy Profile Media
Figure 1: Reaction Coordinate Diagram: Starting material or reactant A convert to product C via the transition state B, with the help of activation energy ΔG≠, after which chemical energy ΔG° is released
Figure 2: Ball and Spring Model for a Diatomic Molecule- Atoms A and B connected through a bond (spring). Potential energy is a function of distance r from the equilibrium point
Figure 3: PES for water molecule:Shows the energy minimum corresponding to optimized molecular structure for water, O–H bond length of 0.0958 nm and H–O–H bond angle of 104.5°
Figure 4:Minima (top) and Saddle Point (bottom) on a Potential Energy Surface
Figure 5:Potential Energy Surface and Corresponding 2-D Reaction Coordinate Diagram derived from the plane passing through the minimum energy pathway between A and C and passing through B
Figure 7: Reaction Coordinate Diagrams: Reaction with equilibrium between reactant and intermediate (left) and one with no such equilibrium (right)
Figure 8: Reaction Coordinate Diagrams showing favorable or unfavorable and slow or fast reactions
Figure 9:Kinetic and Thermodynamic Control: A. Product B is both the kinetic and thermodynamic product and B. Product A is the kinetic product while B is the thermodynamic product.
Figure 10: Shows an energy profile for the RDS in an SN1 mechanism when the solvent is changed from a more polar solvent (shown in red) to a less polar solvent (shown in blue). Note the transition state structure shown has partial charge.
