Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Quantum mechanical tunneling offers an alternative pathway to the classical (thermal) overcoming of energetic barriers, by penetrating these barriers instead. Recent years have shed light on its impact on organic synthesis in terms of kinetics, reaction outcomes and lifetimes (and thus feasibility) of reactive intermediates or supposedly stable products. This concept article summarizes recent computational and experimental studies and illuminates how the insights from these studies, e.g. regarding the concepts of tunneling control and instability, should inform synthesis design and optimization.
Authors: Tim Schleif, Ashim Nandi
Institutions: Hofstra University, Indian Institute of Technology Goa
Language: English
Subfield: Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Field: Chemistry
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Funder: Yale University
OpenAlex ID: W4415218890