A
cycloaddition is a
pericyclic chemical reaction, in which "two or more unsaturated molecules (or parts of the same molecule) combine with the formation of a cyclic adduct in which there is a net reduction of the bond multiplicity." The resulting reaction is a
cyclization reaction. Many but not all cycloadditions are concerted. As a class of
addition reaction, cycloadditions permit carbon–carbon bond formation without the use of a
nucleophile or
electrophile.