Nader Al-Jalal, Christopher Covell and Andrew Gilbert
The (2π+2π) photocycloaddition of isoquinolin-1(2H)-one to electron-deficient ethenes is efficient, regiospecific and highly stereoselective: 254nm irradiation of the acrylonitrile adduct induces retroadditon and rearrangement to an N-vinylisoindolinone with equal efficiencies.