Mathematical modelling of chemical clock reactions. II: A class of autocatalytic clock reaction schemes (Q2368190)

[For part I see the preceding review.] In this second part the following four autocatalytic reaction schemes are examined for the possibility of a clock reaction behaviour in a well stirred, isothermal situation: \[ P\to A,\;A+nB\to(n+1)B,\;mB+C\to D,\;n=1,2\quad\text{and }m=1,2. \] \((P\) is a precursor chemical and \(A\) an intermediate chemical species; \(C\) is an inhibition chemical and \(D\) denotes an inert product.) A detailed analysis is presented exhibiting that a sharply defined clock reaction behaviour can arise. The qualitative and quantitative behaviour of the asymptotic solutions is carefully described and it is shown in which way the nature of the clock reaction behaviour is dependent on the orders \(n\) and \(m\) of the autocatalytic and inhibition step, respectively. Though with strongly exothermic reactions the clock reaction behaviour has been much studied, it seems to be the first time that attention has been paid to it with isothermic reaction schemes involving quadratic or cubic autocatalytic steps.