Is there a difference between a reaction pathway and a reaction route(mechanism)?
Say youve got a reaction A + B –> C + D Imagine if that seemingly simple reaction actually consisted of a number of steps that arent immediately apparently by looking at the Equation (take for instance the Depletion of atmospheric ozone reaction) Now imagine that the reaction was actually composed of 3 steps. [Thats the Mechanism] Now take one of those steps, say, step1 and imagine hypothetically that A + B –> E + F — Imagine a reaction curve for that initial step which may be exergonic or endergonic (doesnt matter) – now imagine if that reaction could be made more efficient by adding a catalyst – then imagine what the reaction curve would look like for such a catalysed reaction (u would see that the curve is less steep, has a lower activation energy, when using a catalyst). Compare the 2 reaction curves, catalyzed and uncatalyzed and realize that these curves describe the Reaction Pathway. 🙂 Summary: For one Complete Reaction there is one mechanism which may be composed of many in
