As applied to a
chemical species, the term expresses a kinetic property. A species is said to be more reactive or
to have a higher reactivity in some given context than some other (reference) species
if it has a larger
rate constant for a specified
elementary reaction. The term has meaning only by reference to some explicitly stated or implicitly assumed
set of conditions. It is not to be used for reactions or reaction patterns of compounds
in general. The term is also more loosely used as a phenomenological description not
restricted to elementary reactions. When applied in this sense the property under
consideration may reflect not only rate, but also equilibrium, constants.
Source:
PAC, 1994, 66, 1077
(Glossary of terms used in physical organic chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1994))
on page 1159
Cite as:
IUPAC. Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. (the "Gold Book"). Compiled by
A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford (1997).
XML on-line corrected version: http://goldbook.iupac.org (2006-) created by M. Nic,
J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN 0-9678550-9-8.
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.
