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Elektronentransfers

Elektronentransfers (ET) describe the movement of electrons from a donor to an acceptor. They are fundamental in redox chemistry, electrochemistry, and bioenergetics. ET events can occur within a single molecule (intramolecular) or between molecules (intermolecular). They proceed via inner-sphere mechanisms, where a bridging ligand temporarily bonds to both partners to relay the electron, or via outer-sphere mechanisms, in which transfer occurs without a strong bond and the electron moves by tunneling or through-space coupling.

Kinetics are commonly described by Marcus theory, which relates the rate to the free-energy change (ΔG°) and

Biological ET chains, such as those in photosynthesis and respiration, use series of cofactors (e.g., cytochromes,

Applications include energy conversion, sensing, catalysis, and molecular electronics, where control over electron transfer rates and

the
reorganization
energy
(λ)
needed
to
reorganize
coordinates
of
the
reactants
and
solvent.
Rate
increases
with
driving
force
up
to
a
maximum
and
then
may
decline
for
very
large
driving
forces
(inverted
region).
Distance,
electronic
coupling,
solvent
polarity,
and
temperature
strongly
influence
ET
rates.
In
solids,
ET
can
proceed
by
hopping
of
charge
carriers
(polarons)
related
to
material
structure.
iron-sulfur
clusters)
to
shuttle
electrons
with
high
efficiency.
In
chemistry,
ET
is
studied
with
electrochemical
methods
(cyclic
voltammetry)
and
spectroscopy,
using
model
systems
like
ferrocene/ferrocenium
and
blue
copper
proteins.
pathways
is
essential.