THEORY OF CHEMICAL-REACTIONS IN CONDENSED MEDIA AND ITS APPLICATIONS TO BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES

The general aspects of a theory of dense‐phase reactions, based on an accurate quantum‐mechanical formulation of the rate equation, are considered. Using an adiabatic one‐frequency oscillator model, the theory is applied to several important biological processes at low temperatures: the photinduced oxidation of cytochrome C by bacteriochlorophyll, the electron transfer from primary to secondary acceptors in bacterial photosynthesis, and the ligand rebinding of carbon oxide and β‐chain of hemoglobin. A very good agreement between theory and experiment is found making use of no more than one or two (or even without any) adjustable parameters. Copyright © 1979 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.