A chemical reaction in which a linear (straight-chain) molecule is rearranged to form a ring-shaped structure.
From 'cyclize' (to form a ring) + '-ation' (suffix indicating a process or action). The term became standard in organic chemistry in the early 20th century as chemists developed systematic ways to build ring structures.
Cyclization is one of the most powerful tricks in chemistry—by folding a molecule into a ring, chemists can completely change how it behaves. Most drugs, vitamins, and natural compounds have rings in them, and learning to cyclize molecules was a key breakthrough that led to the pharmaceutical industry.
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