The thermodynamic natural path in chemical reaction kinetics

Abstract

The Natural Path approach to chemical reaction kinetics was developed to bridge the considerable gap between the Mass Action mechanistic approach and the non-mechanistic irreversible thermodynamic approach. The Natural Path approach can correlate empirical kinetic data with a high degree precision, as least equal to that achievable by the Mass-Action rate equations, but without recourse mechanistic considerations. The reaction velocities arising from the particular rate equation chosen by kineticists to best represent the kinetic behavior of a chemical reaction are the natural outcome of the Natural Path approach. Moreover, by virtue of its thermodynamic roots, equilibrium thermodynamic functions can be extracted from reaction kinetic data with considerable accuracy. These results support the intrinsic validity of the Natural Path approach.