In Situ Raman Monitoring of Silver(I)-Aided Laser-Driven Cleavage Reaction of Cyclobutane

The cyclobutane cleavage reaction is an important process and has received continuous interest. Herein, we demonstrate the visible laser-driven cleavage reaction of cyclobutane in crystal form by using in situ Raman spectroscopy. Silver(I) coordination-induced strain and thermal effects from the laser irradiation are the two main driving forces for the cleavage of cyclobutane crystals. This work may open up a new avenue for studying cyclobutane cleavage reactions, as compared to the conventional routes using ex situ techniques. Checking out the cleavage: A visible laser-driven cyclobutane cleavage reaction is monitored by using in situ Raman spectroscopy. The silver(I) coordination-induced strain and the thermal effect after laser irradiation are the two main driving forces for this cleavage reaction.