why do organic reactions occur more slowly than inorganic reactions (those that contain ionic bonds)?
In inorganic reactions the ions merely need to get close enough to attract between + and - charges. Organic compounds are not ionic (some are polar); therefore, the atoms are not as free to move about.
The difference in the rate at which organic reactions occur compared to inorganic reactions can be explained through various factors. One major factor is the nature of the chemical bonds involved.
In inorganic reactions, particularly those involving ionic compounds, the reaction rate is often faster. This is because inorganic compounds are made up of ionic bonds, where positively charged ions (cations) are attracted to negatively charged ions (anions). These ions are free to move about and easily come into contact with each other to facilitate the chemical reaction. As a result, the reaction can occur relatively quickly.
On the other hand, organic compounds predominantly consist of covalent bonds, where atoms share electrons. In these bonds, there are no clearly defined positive and negative charges attracting one another. Instead, the electron distribution is typically more evenly shared between the atoms. As a result, organic compounds are not as free to move around and interact with other atoms or molecules.
Additionally, organic compounds often have complex molecular structures and multiple functional groups, which can hinder the reaction rate. These structures may have bulky substituents or steric hindrance, which can restrict the movement of reacting molecules or make it challenging for them to come into close proximity with each other.
Furthermore, organic reactions often involve breaking and forming new covalent bonds, which requires the reorganization of electron density. This process takes time as atoms must adjust their electron distribution to accommodate the new bonds being formed or broken.
Overall, the differences in the reaction rates between organic and inorganic reactions can be attributed to the nature of the chemical bonds involved, the complexity of the molecular structures in organic compounds, and the need to reorganize electron density during organic reactions.