Femtosecond solvation dynamics of water

Response of solvent molecules to the electronic rearrangement of solute molecules influences the reaction rate. A slow response results in the reduction of reaction rate since the resulting products recross the energy barrier. In aqueous charge-transfer processes, more than half of the solvation response for atomic solutes is inertial, occurring for 20 femtoseconds. This ultrafast solvation component enhances the rates of electron transfer between metallocenes in aqueous solutions.