1. Cycloaddition reactions involve the addition of two pi systems to form a cyclic product with two new sigma bonds and two fewer pi bonds. They can occur suprafacially or antrafacially.
2. The Diels-Alder reaction is a common [4+2] cycloaddition between a diene and an alkene. The sign of the frontier orbitals must match for the reaction to be thermally or photochemically allowed.
3. The diene typically has electron-donating groups and the dienophile electron-withdrawing groups for efficient Diels-Alder reactions. The stereochemistry of substituents is maintained in the product.