How Do Bonding and Antibonding States Affect Catalysis?
The efficiency of a catalyst depends on its ability to facilitate the formation and breaking of bonds in reactant molecules. Bonding and antibonding states play a key role in this process. For instance, in transition metal catalysis, the d-orbitals of the metal can interact with the orbitals of the reactant molecules to form bonding and antibonding states. This interaction can lower the activation energy required for the reaction, thereby speeding up the reaction rate.
