Rate Law when Intermediates are in the Reactants

[Iley I_Nagast_2L]

I understand that the overall rate law of a reaction involves the reactants of the slowest step without intermediates, but how do you find the overall rate law when intermediates are in the reactants?

[Peter Soliman 1J]

Hello!

You need to use the Pre-Equilibrium method to substitute the intermediate species with the reactants in the previous step that are typically assumed to be at equilibrium.

[205975909]

When intermediates are present in the reactants, you typically eliminate them using pre-equilibrium approximation or steady-state approximation. After eliminating the intermediates, the overall rate law involves the reactants of the slowest step, excluding the intermediates, as in the case without intermediates.