Term: collision complex https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01160 Definition: An ensemble formed by two reaction partners for which the distance is the sum of their van der Waals radii. As such it constitutes a subclass of the species indicated as encounter complex. Related Terms: 1) encounter complex (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.E02087). Source: PAC, 1996, 68, 2223. 'Glossary of terms used in photochemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1996)' on page 2233 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199668122223) Citation: 'collision complex' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01160 License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms. Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.