In chemistry a divergent synthesis is a strategy with the aim to improve the efficiency of chemical synthesis. It is often an alternative to convergent synthesis or linear synthesis.
In one strategy divergent synthesis aims to generate a library of chemical compounds by first reacting a molecule with a set of reactants. The next generation of compounds is generated by further reactions with each compound in generation 1. This methodology quickly diverges to large numbers of new compounds
- A generates A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 in generation 1
- A1 generates A11, A12, A13 in generation 2 and so on.
An entire library of new chemical compounds for instance sugars can be screened for desirable properties. In another strategy divergent synthesis starts from a molecule as a central core from which successive generations of building blocks are added. A good example is the divergent synthesis of dendrimers for example where in each generation new monomer reacts to the growing surface of the sphere.
Read more about Divergent Synthesis: Diversity Oriented Synthesis
Famous quotes containing the word synthesis:
“The new shopping malls make possible the synthesis of all consumer activities, not least of which are shopping, flirting with objects, idle wandering, and all the permutations of these.”
—Jean Baudrillard (b. 1929)