Theory 84/Energy Limits/Catalysis
Catalysts Have an Activity Floor
The claim
A catalyst's rate is bounded by the ratio of activation energy to the Sabatier optimum, so binding too strongly is as limiting as binding too weakly.
01Mechanism
The rate peaks when the intermediate binds with intermediate strength; moving either way from that point raises the barrier.
02Prediction
Rate should peak at an intermediate binding energy.
03Refutation
Rate increasing with binding strength would remove the optimum.