Photoreversible Mechanophore

Congratulations to Zach and Ashley, whose paper “Bicyclo[3.2.0]Heptane Mechanophores for the Non-Scissile and Photochemically Reversible Generation of Reactive Bis-Enones” has been accepted at J. Am. Chem. Soc.  The paper describes a fused ring that can mechanically ripped open to a bis-enone that is about 0.4 nm longer than the precursor.  The bis-enone is also cross-reactive via conjugate addition and can revert back to a bicycloheptane photochemically, offering potential for new stimuli responsive properties in materials.