How Do Spin-Spin Interactions Affect Reaction Mechanisms?
One of the primary ways spin-spin interactions affect reaction mechanisms is through the stabilization or destabilization of different intermediate states. For example, in homogeneous catalysis, the spin state of a metal complex can dictate the pathway a reaction follows. A high-spin state may stabilize certain intermediates that are otherwise unstable in a low-spin state, thereby altering the reaction pathway and potentially lowering the activation energy.
