In seeking to elaborate the ways in which metal ions may affect chemical reactions, it seems useful to classify first according to the intimacy of the interaction between metal atom and reactants. Three levels of interaction are evident. In many processes the metal ion serves to alter the character of the medium by changing ionic strength, solvent structuring or destructuring, and possibly other characteristics of the medium, all of which require only longrange interaction between metal ion and reactant. These influences are left for others to treat. In this article attention is focused on metal ion effects at two more intimate levels of interaction. In the second category of interaction the metal ion serves as a reactant. Rather than merely determining the environment within which a given process occurs (the first category), the metal ion in this case is a projectile which produces reaction when it encounters the substrate. The morphological criterion for this category of effect is the initiation of chemical reaction upon contact between substrate and metal. Finally, the third level of interaction involves prior association of the metal ion with a substrate that is to undergo subsequent reaction, either unimolecularly or upon encounter with suitable reagents. 'The author is professor of chemistry at Ohio State University, Columbus 43210.
JANUARY 1971Here the metal ion is a it is precisely by exam category of interaction 1 of metal ion influences ( actions are most readily Much attention is giv subject of homogeneous ticularly in processes i ions and metal complexe many enzymes that ar metal ions may be inclu heading. Clearly, those are truly activated by n be describable in term! both of the categories o fects stated here, that derivatives as reagents moieties as substituents. with a single-step proces, be used to delineate a p ion capability, catalytic of necessity, multistep X recycling of the catalyst catalytic reaction must i two steps. These minimu encounter and alteratioi strate of interest by the and (ii) restoration of 1 its original condition. F complex-forming process tance, and homogeneou volving metal ion catalys quire at least three cle steps: (i) in a first step ti coordinates to a substi either with or without alt SCIE:NCE: substrate; (ii) the complex then encounters a reagent and undergoes chemical change; (iii) thereafter, the complex is disassembled and the metal atom moiety is restored to its original al catalyst form. This part of the process may require additional reactions, with Rs or without external reagents, or it may reflect a competition between product and solvent, other ligands, or reactants )ns for coordination sites. Certain minimum criteria must be met in order for ids. these processes to be catalytic. (i) The system is trivial unless there is an appreciable effect on mechanism. The sch usual reaction path may be greatly accelerated by stabilization of the transition state or destabilization of a reactant, or an unusual reaction path may substituent, and be followed because of ext...