Chemoselectivity is the preferential reaction of a chemical
reagent with one of two or more different functional groups. A
reagent has a high chemoselectivity if reaction occurs with only a limited number of different
functional groups. For example, sodium tetrahydroborate is a more chemoselective reducing
agent than is lithium tetrahydroaluminate. The concept has not been defined in more
quantitative terms. The term is also applied to reacting molecules or intermediates
which exhibit
selectivity towards chemically different reagents. Some authors use the term
chemospecificity for 100% chemoselectivity. However, this usage is discouraged.
Source:
PAC, 1994, 66, 1077
(Glossary of terms used in physical organic chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1994))
on page 1097
Cite as:
IUPAC. Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. (the "Gold Book"). Compiled by
A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford (1997).
XML on-line corrected version: http://goldbook.iupac.org (2006-) created by M. Nic,
J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN 0-9678550-9-8.
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.
