Pulsed Nd:YAG laser induced high throughput stereospecific [2 + 2] cycloaddition of highly organized 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene in a supramolecular scaffold

The 3rd harmonic generation in a Nd:YAG pulsed laser induces the high throughput [2 + 2] cycloaddition of 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene that assemble itself tightly into a face-to-face manner around the Yb3+ octaaqua complex via hydrogen bonds, without damaging the cyclobutyl ring-containing products.