wavelength, wavenumber or frequency at which the total absorbance of a sample does not change during a chemical reaction or a physical change of the sample.
Notes: - A simple example occurs when one molecular entity is converted into another that has the same @M03972-1@ at a given @W06659@. As long as the sum of the concentrations of the two molecular entities in the solution is held constant there will be no change in @A00028@ at this @W06659@ as the ratio of the concentrations of the two entities is varied.
- The name derives from the Greek words: isos: equal, the same, and sbestos: extinguishable.
- Contrary to a widely accepted idea, the existence of an isosbestic point does not prove that the reaction is a quantitative conversion of one species into a unique other species or that an equilibrium exists between only two species. The observation of isosbestic points only indicates that the @S06026@ of the reaction remains unchanged during the chemical reaction or the physical change of the sample, and that no secondary reactions occur during the considered time range, since Aλ.l-1 = (n)∑(i=1) ɛi(λ)ci is invariant (Aλ is the @A00028@ at @W06659@ λ, l is the optical path, ɛi is the @M03972-2@ of the species i of concentration ci). For the reaction A + B → c C + d D + e E, with c, d, and e the percentages of the products C, D, and E, an isosbestic point will be observed at every @W06659@ where the condition ɛA + ɛB = cɛC + dɛD + eɛE , provided that the values of the percentages c, d, and e remain constant during the chemical reaction or the physical change. The use of the obsolete term @I03259@ is not recommended.
Source:
PAC, 2007, 79, 293. 'Glossary of terms used in photochemistry, 3rd edition (IUPAC Recommendations 2006)' on page 359 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac200779030293)