Century-Old Chemistry Rule Rewritten: Scientists Access Forbidden Strained Molecules
A UCLA team led by Neil Garg demonstrated a fluoride-induced elimination strategy that transiently forms anti-Bredt olefins—highly strained molecules once considered synthetically inaccessible—allowing these intermediates to participate in reactions. The work reframes Bredt's Rule as a predictive guideline with controlled exceptions, reopening avenues in drug design, materials science, and catalysis, and prompting textbooks and labs worldwide to revise how they teach and approach strained-ring chemistry.