| Abstract: | The perturbation method of treating chemical reactions is discussed in a simple manner, by invoking the general hypothesis that the initial perturbation determines the course of a reaction. This approach is used to develop a general theory, as an alternative to the transition state theory. Such apparently diverse concepts as the symmetry rules for cyclic processes, and hard and soft acids and bases can be derived by this treatment, which is applied to radical reactions and aliphatic and aromatic substitution. |
