In
organic chemistry, a
pericyclic reaction is a type of
organic reaction wherein the
transition state of the molecule has a cyclic geometry, and the reaction progresses in a
concerted fashion. Pericyclic reactions are usually
rearrangement reactions. The major classes of pericyclic reactions are:
In general, these are considered to be
equilibrium processes, although it is possible to push the reaction in one direction by designing a reaction by which the product is at a significantly lower energy level; this is due to a unimolecular interpretation of
Le Chatelier's principle. Pericyclic reactions often have related stepwise
radical processes associated with them. Some pericyclic reactions, such as the [2+2] cycloaddition, are 'controversial' because their mechanism is not definitively known to be concerted (or may depend on the reactive system). Pericyclic reactions also often have metal-catalyzed analogs, although usually these are also not technically pericyclic, since they proceed via metal-stabilized intermediates, and therefore are not concerted.
