ScienceAugust 18, 2026

metathesis

muh-TATH-uh-sis

Definition

A chemical reaction where two compounds exchange their constituent parts to form two new products.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek word metatithenai, meaning 'to transpose' or 'to change position,' which combines meta- (change) and tithenai (to place).

In the news

The word is used in the context of probing the potential chemical reactivity of a new uranium complex to see if it can participate in common synthetic reaction pathways.

Uranium complex smashes record for consecutive bonds between atoms

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Chemistry World

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