An electrocyclic reaction is a type of chemical reaction that involves the breaking and forming of chemical bonds through the application of an external electric field. It is also known as a pericyclic reaction, as the electrons involved in the reaction move in a cyclic path. Other synonyms for this type of reaction include cycloreversion, which refers to the breaking of a cyclic compound into two parts, and cycloaddition, which refers to the formation of a cyclic compound from two or more reactants. These reactions often occur under specific conditions and require precise control, making them highly useful in the field of organic chemistry.