Microscopic reversibility and the symmetrical isotopic exchange reactions of organometallic compounds

Abstract

Recent criticisms of well established mechanistic interpretations of isotopic exchange reactions of organomercury-(II) compounds have been shown to be erroneous by consideration of three-dimensional potential-energy surfaces, which show the several possible reaction paths. The method provides a clear understanding of the principle of microscopic reversibility as applied to symmetrical organometallic exchange reactions.