STATIC AND DYNAMICAL SOLVENT EFFECTS ON ELECTRON-TRANSFER RATES

The Marcus equation of electron transfer rates is generalized. The rat e constant is expressed in terms of the function phi(Delta V) which de scribes the distribution of the electrostatic potential difference Del ta V between donor and acceptor sites, produced by the surrounding flu ctuating polar solvent molecules. The static solvent effect on electro n transfer is discussed on the basis of this expression. The dynamical solvent effect on electron transfer is also studied to explain the no n-Marcus energy gap law recently observed for back electron transfer i n contact ion pairs.