Question

What is reaction Intermediate?

Answer 1

Hint: When any of the chemical reactions occurs, we have seen that two or more reactants are mixed together, they undergo some chemical changes and will get a product. But, have we ever thought that the reactants are directly converted into products or there is some intermediate product between the reactant and products.

Complete answer:
Let’s understand how a chemical reaction occurs.
In a chemical reaction, reactants contact between each other and the bond between the atoms in the reactant are broken and then the atoms rearrange and form new bonds to make the products. But, this does not happen directly, an intermediate is formed when the reactants are converted into products.
A reaction intermediate is defined as a molecular entity which is formed from the reactant and reacts further to give final products of the chemical reaction. If the chemical reaction undergoes through steps i.e. they take more than one elementary step to complete. An intermediate is formed in each of these products except for the last step where the final product is formed.
Reaction intermediates are usually short lived products. They have a very short lifetime. They do not remain in the product mixture.
Let’s looks an example of chemical reaction
\[A\, + \,B \to \,C + D\]
Here, the reactants are not directly converted products. This reaction proceed through two elementary steps as follows:
\[A\, + \,B \to \,X*\]
\[X*\, \to C\, + D\]
In the above, \[X*\] is formed, but it does not remain in the product mixture. This chemical species \[X*\] is an intermediate of this reaction.

Note:
The most common type of reaction intermediate which are formed during the reaction can be carbocation, carbanion and free radicals. The most important thing to remember about the reaction intermediate is that even if it is not mentioned in the chemical equation, it is still present or part of the chemical reaction.