Diels-Alder reaction

American

[deelz-ahl-der] / ˈdilzˈɑl dər /

noun

Chemistry.

the reaction in which a conjugated diene combines with a double or triple bond of a given compound to form a ring of six carbon atoms.

Diels-Alder reaction British

/ ˈdiːlzˈɔːldə /

noun

chem a type of chemical reaction in which one organic compound containing conjugated double bonds adds to another containing an ethylenic bond to form a product containing a ring

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Diels-Alder reaction

Named after O. Diels and K. Alder

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He tested the organic molecule’s ability to drive a Diels-Alder reaction, which can build rings of carbon atoms.

From New York Times

There are no immediate applications for the particular Diels-Alder reaction that this enzyme catalyses, and, compared with naturally occurring enzymes that catalyze other reactions, it's not very active.

From Scientific American

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023