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