Intermediates

[Brian_Ho_2B]

On the final, if we are given an overall reaction for an unknown mechanism and we are given what the intermediates are but not where they go in the mechanism, are we expected to be able to figure out how to set up each step and where to place the intermediates?

[Julie_Reyes1B]

I don't think we have the skills necessary to do this. We may be given some proposed reaction mechanisms and have to choose one and explain why it could work. That would involve showing that the reaction mechanism satisfies two criteria:
A. Sum of elementary steps= overall reaction
B. Mechanism must agree with experimentally determined rate law

[Maria Poblete 2C]

I don't think we'll have to sort the order of the intermediate steps, but we should know that the sum of the elementary steps is equivalent to the overall reaction, and that its mechanism agrees with the determined rate law.

[Hannah Romeo 1J]

I think they would give us the slow and fast steps and then have us identify the intermediates, catalysts, and overall reaction.