, oxidation of ethane to CO2
and H2O passes through a series of intermediate steps in which alcohol,
aldehyde and acid are formed), reverse reactions and side reactions
(e g , nitration of phenol yields o-nitrophenol and p-nitrophenol) Units of rate constant
For a general reaction
aA + bB ® cC + dD
Rate = k [A]
x  [B]
y
Where x + y = n = order of the reaction
k = 
x
Rate
[A] [B]y
(
)
(
)
=
n
concentration
1
=
×
where [A] [B]
time
concentration
Taking SI units of concentration, mol L
–1 and time, s, the units of
k for different reaction order are listed in Table 3