ABSTRACT
All chemical reactions are in principle reversible. From the point of view of devising organic syntheses it is necessary to know whether the position of equilibrium will favour the desired product. The factors that determine the equilibrium constant of a reaction and its variation with changes in conditions follow from the principles of thermodynamics. Throughout this chapter there is a simplifying assumption that the reactions take place at low concentrations in the gas phase, with reactants present in one molar amounts, i.e. no allowance has been made for the effects of solvation. Most organic reactions take place in solution and solvation effects generally make a significant contribution to the rate and outcome of a process. A consideration of solvation effects is beyond the scope of this text.
