Principle of least motion

In organic chemistry, the principle of least motion is the hypothesis that when multiple species with different nuclear structures could theoretically form as products of a given chemical reaction, the more likely to form tends to be the one requiring the least amount of change in nuclear structure or the smallest change in nuclear positions.^[1]

References

1. Hine J (1977). "The principle of least nuclear motion". Advances in Physical Organic Chemistry 15: 1–61. doi:10.1016/S0065-3160(08)60117-3.