Chemical trap

In chemistry, a chemical trap is a chemical compound that is used to detect a certain molecule ^[1] when

• The concentration of this molecule is very small and below detection limit
• The molecule is very reactive (for example cyclobutadiene) and it is not possible to isolate or detect it by spectroscopic means
• The molecule is an enantiomer present in a racemate.

With the reaction product of the chemical trap and the molecule in question it is possible to

• Quantify the amount
• Prove the existence of the molecule

References

1. March, Jerry (1985), Advanced Organic Chemistry: Reactions, Mechanisms, and Structure (3rd ed.), New York: Wiley, ISBN 0-471-85472-7