What happens when a catalytic poison is present in a reaction?

When a catalytic poison is present in a reaction, it interferes with the catalyst's ability to facilitate the reaction effectively. A catalytic poison can interact with the active sites on the catalyst, blocking them and preventing the formation and release of products. This can lead to a situation where the reactants are unable to properly adsorb onto the catalyst, or once they do, they are not able to convert to products efficiently since the catalyst is hindered from working as intended.

In this scenario, the desorption of products is particularly affected, as the catalyst plays a crucial role in helping reaction products detach from its surface. If this process is disrupted, it can result in lower yields of products, or even complete inhibition of the reaction, since the catalyst is essential for promoting not just the formation of products but also their eventual release from the catalyst's surface. Thus, the presence of a catalytic poison directly affects the efficiency of the catalytic process by preventing desorption, thereby negatively impacting the overall reaction dynamics.