This hypothesis states that, if in an acid catalysed reaction,
(first-order
rate constant of the reaction) is linear in
(Hammett
acidity function ), water is not involved in the
transition state of the
rate-controlling step. However, if
is linear in
then water is involved.
This has been shown to be incorrect by Hammett himself.
Source:
PAC, 1994, 66, 1077
(Glossary of terms used in physical organic chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1994))
on page 1176