Diels

Diels is a surname of German origin. It is associated with individuals from German-speaking regions and has appeared in scientific and academic contexts. The name is most widely recognized in connection with Otto Diels, a prominent chemist, and with the chemical reaction that bears his name.

Otto Diels (1876–1954) was a German chemist who shared the 1950 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Kurt Alder for the discovery of the Diels–Alder reaction. His work contributed significantly to the development of organic synthesis and reaction design, enabling the construction of complex ring systems from simpler precursors.

The Diels–Alder reaction is a concerted [4+2] cycloaddition between a conjugated diene and a dienophile, yielding a cyclohexene ring. It is valued for its stereospecificity and efficiency in forming six-membered rings, frequently used to construct complex natural products and pharmaceuticals. The reaction can proceed under thermal conditions and has numerous variants, including intramolecular and asymmetric versions, as well as inverse-electron-demand forms. The name of the reaction reflects the collaboration between Otto Diels and Kurt Alder, whose joint work in the late 1920s established a foundational method in organic chemistry.