cycloalkanebased

Cycloalkanebased refers to chemical entities that feature cycloalkane rings as a central structural motif. Cycloalkanes are saturated, non-aromatic carbocyclic rings in which all carbon atoms are sp3-hybridized. Common cycloalkane cores include cyclopentane, cyclohexane, and cycloheptane; smaller rings such as cyclopropane and cyclobutane are notable for higher ring strain and distinct reactivity. Cycloalkanebased molecules may bear substituents on the ring, contain fused or bridged cycloalkane systems (for example decalin or steroid nuclei), or possess spiro arrangements.

In medicinal chemistry and related fields, cycloalkanebased scaffolds are valued for providing three-dimensional shape, influencing lipophilicity and metabolic stability relative to flat aromatic systems. Conformational preferences depend on ring size: cyclohexane often adopts a chair conformation; smaller rings are more strained and reactive, while larger rings can exhibit multiple conformations and potential transannular interactions that affect binding properties. Substituents and ring fusion can further tune properties such as solubility, selectivity, and pharmacokinetics.

Synthesis and design of cycloalkanebased frameworks employ a range of cyclization and annulation strategies, including cycloadditions, intramolecular condensations, ring expansions, and various functionalization techniques to install substituents. They appear across natural products, pharmaceuticals, and materials science. Notable examples include drug candidates and ligands that use cycloalkane rings to impart rigidity and three-dimensionality, as well as steroid and steroid-like cores built from fused cycloalkane rings.