ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we will study the fundamentals of electron transfer (ET) reactions. In ET reactions, the only moving particle appears to be an electron. No bonds are broken or formed. Spectral changes are noticeable after transfer of an electron, and this gives a possibility to study the kinetics of very fast ET reactions by time-resolved spectroscopy. Still, small structural changes do occur at ET, and these changes are the main reason why ET reactions need activation energy. In this chapter and in Chapter 11, we primarily have thermal activation in mind. In Chapter 13, we will discuss photoinduced ET (PIET) reactions.
