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Keeping the name clean: [2 + 2] photocycloaddition

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Abstract

Crossed [2 + 2] photocycloaddition is a specific case of intramolecular photocycloaddition reaction. Recently, the term “crossed [2 + 2] photocycloaddition” is interchangeably used to represent intermolecular [2 + 2] photocycloaddition reactions of two dissimilar double bonds/alkenes. To avoid confusion and to help researchers use the correct terminologies, this perspective clarifies the terminology used for different [2 + 2] photocycloaddition processes based on prior literature with the hope of establishing a standard for addressing the diverse set of photocycloaddition reactions that will be helpful to the chemical community.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the US National Science foundation (CHE-1955524 for JS and CHE-1807729 for VR), the German Science Foundation (TB) and the European Research Council (TB) for funding their respective research programs in which various [2+2] photocycloaddition strategies have been investigated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry and Center for Photochemical Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, 43403, USA

    Jayaraman Sivaguru

  2. Department Chemie and Catalysis Research Center, School of Natural Sciences, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstr. 4, 85747, Garching, Germany

    Thorsten Bach

  3. Department of Chemistry, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA

    Vaidhyanathan Ramamurthy

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  1. Jayaraman Sivaguru
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Correspondence to Jayaraman Sivaguru, Thorsten Bach or Vaidhyanathan Ramamurthy.

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Sivaguru, J., Bach, T. & Ramamurthy, V. Keeping the name clean: [2 + 2] photocycloaddition. Photochem Photobiol Sci 21, 1333–1340 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43630-022-00239-7

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