Electrochemistry unleashes untapped potential of strained rings to build molecules
By 
Victoria Corless2026-04-21T08:30:00
One pot technique achieved functionalisation at up to four sites
A new electrochemical method can turn strained rings into versatile platforms for carrying out multiple precise transformations in a single sequence.
Chemists have long prized strained rings as spring-loaded starting points for building complexity. However, once the ring is opened, the molecule quickly loses reactivity, and synthesis usually stops after adding two groups across a single bond. Useful as this is, it barely taps the full potential of these high-energy structures.