Solvent effects on initial states and transition states for reactions of inorganic complexes

The use of solvent effects on reactivities in the diaqnosis of inorqanic substitution mechanisms is discussed, and the converse approach, the use of reactions of known mechanism to.probe solvent structural properties, mentioned. Solvent effects on reactivity trends can be analysed into initial state and transition state components by the use of appropriate thermodynamic parameters for the reactant(s). Such an analysis has been carried out for a variety of Substitutions at inorganic centres, for example cobalt(III), iron(II), and platinum(II), and for peroxodisulphate oxidation of iron(II) species.