Electron-Transfer Chemical Reactions in the Microwave Field

This Chapter studies the electron transfer reactions in the MW field. A classical theory is developed for a mix of reagents and polar frequency-dispersive and lossy solvents filling the vessels excited by microwaves. These reactors are described by non-linear differential equations for non-stationary MW field, heat and liquid dynamics, and chemical molecular kinetics that can only be solved numerically in full. A particular solution of this system is considered for the isothermic electron-transfer reactions in an MW field, varying its frequency with the calculation of the normalized Marcus rate coefficient. For the small normalized reaction free energy, the chemical reactions are supported by microwaves in a wide frequency band with an increased exponent value in the Marcus rate coefficient. These reactions are driven only by conventional microwave heating at higher energy values. The restrictions for the given theory are reviewed, and further experimental, semi-classical, and quantum–mechanical studies are found essential for practical applications of these findings. 25 references are given to readers. Five figures are included in the text.