Strained-ring chemistry

This thematic issue aims to highlight the remarkable scope and vitality of strained-ring chemistry within modern organic chemistry. Our goal is to provide a dedicated platform for the most exciting recent developments, while showcasing the field’s rich scientific achievements in a visible and comprehensive way.

Strained rings often exhibit interesting characteristics due to constrained molecular environments, such as unusual bond angles, confined space, and nonideal geometry. Consequently, these systems often have fascinating or unexpected properties, including unique reactivity, high energy, kinetic instability, and interesting electronic and other physicochemical properties.

Embracing a broad spectrum, contributions are invited on various strained ring systems, ranging from simple cycloalkanes and -alkenes to more complex bicyclic, spirocyclic, and polycyclic structures. Examples include derivatives of cyclopropane, cyclobutane, bicyclobutane, bicyclopentane, and cubane, along with their substituted, unsaturated, or heterocyclic analogs.

Some important aspects we aim to cover are synthetic methods, stereoselective reactions, applications (bioisosters, energy storage, intermediates in total synthesis, etc.), and physical organic chemistry (decomposition and reaction kinetics, etc.), to name just a few examples.

Submission deadline: November 30, 2026