Oxidation-Reduction Reactions

For most purposes, inorganic reactions can be classified as either substitution reactions or oxidation-reduction reactions. The latter involve the transfer of at least one electron from the reducing agent to the oxidizing agent. Such reactions are widely used in analytical procedures and are important in many biological processes. One of the mechanistic types in this area is unique in having a fairly simple theoretical basis for predicting rate constants in solution from measurable input parameters. Oxidation-reduction reactions have been classified in two general ways; the first, historically, is by stoichiometry and the second is by mechanism. The Stoichiometric classification only requires a knowledge of the reaction stoichiometry but has limited kinetic applicability. The change in oxidation state of the reducing agent is the same as the change in oxidation state of the oxidizing agent.