What is a pericyclic reaction?
Q: What is a pericyclic reaction?
A: A pericyclic reaction is a type of chemical reaction between organic compounds in which the transition state of the molecule has a cyclic geometry, and the reaction proceeds in a concerted way.
Q: What are some examples of pericyclic reactions?
A: Examples of pericyclic reactions include electrocyclic reactions, cycloadditions, sigmatropic reactions, group transfer reactions, cheletropic reactions and dyotropic reactions.
Q: Are pericyclic reactions equilibrium processes?
A: Yes, in general pericyclic reactions are equilibrium processes. However, it is possible to push the reaction in one direction if the product is at a significantly lower energy level by applying Le Chatelier's principle to a single molecule.
Q: Do some chemists disagree whether certain types of chemical reactions are considered to be pericyclics?
A: Yes, some chemists disagree whether certain types of chemical reactions such as [2+2] cycloaddition mechanisms are concerted or may depend on the reactive system.
Q: Are metal-catalyzed versions of these same types of chemical reations also considered to be "pericylic"?
A: No, metal-catalyzed versions of these same types of chemical reations are not really considered to be "pericylic" because they involve metal catalysts that stabilize the reaction intermediates rather than being concerted processes.
Q: Is there an example where a large photoinduced hydrogen sigmatropic shift was utilized in corrin synthesis?
A: Yes, Albert Eschenmoser performed corrin synthesis containing a 16π system utilizing this type of shift.
Q: Are there parallel sets for "retro" periycyclc reations that perform reverse actions?
A:Yes due to microscopic reversibility there exist parallel sets for "retro" periycyclc reations that perform reverse actions from those mentioned above.
