Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 16, 2026

Novel Techniques for Observing Structural Dynamics of Photoresponsive Liquid Crystals
Published on: May 29, 2018
Kinetics of photochromic reactions in condensed phases
J Sworakowski1, K Janus, S Nespůrek
1Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Technology, Wyb. Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland. Sworakowski@pwr.wroc.pl
Abstract:
A review of kinetic data reported for a few organic photochromic systems is given. The kinetics of processes taking place in solid matrices and in crystals was briefly discussed. The effect of solid matrices manifests itself in the kinetics being controlled by distributions rather than by discrete rate constants. The photochromic reactions often require a substantial free volume to occur, hence they seldom take place in crystals without a destruction of the crystal lattice. The activation energies of thermally driven reactions are in this case related rather to crystal parameters than to the reactions themselves.
Related Concept Videos
Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Stereochemistry
Selection Rules: Photochemical Activation
Thermal and Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Overview
Cycloaddition Reactions: MO Requirements for Photochemical Activation
Measuring Reaction Rates
Fast Reactions
SN2 Reaction: Kinetics
In a chemical reaction, a relationship exists between the concentration of reactants and the rate at which the reaction proceeds. The study to measure this relationship is known as the kinetics of a chemical reaction. Kinetic studies are used to deduce the rate law of a chemical reaction, which provides information about the species involved during the transition state of the rate-determining step. Thus, kinetic studies help to derive the mechanism of a reaction.
