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The IUPAC Gold Book[1] defines a reaction intermediate or an intermediate a molecular entity (atom, ion, molecule...) with a lifetime appreciably longer than a molecular vibration (corresponding to a local potential energy minimum of depth greater than RT; R being the gas constant and T is temperature) that is formed (directly or indirectly) from the reactants and reacts further to give (either directly or indirectly) the products of a chemical reaction.