Styryl dyes containing a crown ether group and a heteroaromatic moiety
with a sulfoalkyl N-substituent (1a,b) undergo photocyclodimerization
in acetonitrile in the presence of Mg(ClO4)2 to give only the type A
isomer of cyclobutane derivative (2a,b). The photochemical regio- and
stereoselectivity of the cycloaddition is explained by self-organizati
on of the trans-isomers of the styryl dyes upon complexation with the
Mg2+ cations into dimers with a fixed mutual arrangement of multiple b
onds.