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Updated: Jul 15, 2025

Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers
Published on: December 16, 2022
Exploiting Visible Light Triggered Formation of trans-Cyclohexene for the Contra-thermodynamic Protection of Alcohols
Pritha Das1, Megan DeSpain1, Avery Ethridge1
1107 Physical Science, Department of Chemistry, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078, United States.
Abstract:
We report herein a method for the contra-thermodynamic protection and thermodynamic deprotection of alcohols in which all reagents are returned to their original state. This is accomplished by the use of visible light photochemical energy to drive the formation of a highly strained trans-(Z)-cyclohexene. At STP the product ethers contain more potential energy than the starting materials and, thus, can be catalytically returned to the starting materials, effectively realizing a protection-deprotection scheme paid for with an energy currency.
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