Bredt’s rule has been around since 1924. (Representative Image)
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News1806-01-2026, 14:30

UCLA Scientists Break 100-Year Chemistry Rule, Reshaping Organic Synthesis

  • UCLA researchers challenged Bredt's rule, a 100-year-old organic chemistry principle limiting carbon-carbon double bonds at specific molecular positions.
  • Bredt's rule previously constrained the design of new molecules, particularly impacting pharmaceutical development.
  • Published in Science, the study by Neil Garg's team demonstrated creating "anti-Bredt olefins" (ABOs) that defy the rule using a novel synthesis and trapping method.
  • The discovery reframes Bredt's rule as a guideline with possible exceptions in dynamic systems, rather than an absolute law.
  • This breakthrough opens doors for developing new medicines, advancing industrial chemistry, and creating reactive intermediates for semiconductors.

Why It Matters: Groundbreaking UCLA research rewrites a century-old chemistry rule, unlocking new molecular possibilities.

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