Term: diabatic electron transfer https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.D01659 Definition: electron transfer process in which the reacting system has to cross over between different electronic surfaces in passing from reactants to products. For diabatic electron transfer the electronic transmission factor is ≪ 1 (see Marcus equation). The term non-adiabatic electron transfer has also been used and is in fact more widespread, but should be discouraged because it contains a double negation. Related Terms: 1) adiabatic electron transfer (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.A00142). 2) electron transfer (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.E02011). 3) marcus equation (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.M03702). 4) transmission factor (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.T06482). Source: PAC, 1996, 68, 2223. 'Glossary of terms used in photochemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1996)' on page 2236 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199668122223) Citation: 'diabatic electron transfer' 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.D01659 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.