Robots and AI uncover unexpected pathway in classic 135-year-old chemical reaction

edited by Lisa Lock , reviewed by Robert Egan

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Add as preferred source A systematic scan across reaction hyperspace using a robotic platform leads to the discovery of unexpected reactivity and a complex bicyclic product from simple substrates. The result from the robotic campaign inspires the synthesis of a new scaffold. Credit: Nature Synthesis (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s44160-026-01096-3 Chemical reactions are often written as simple equations: Starting materials go in, and a product comes out. In reality, the same substrates can follow many different pathways depending on their concentrations, temperature, catalysts and other conditions.