Applications alkene isomerisation

If the alkene is an alkyne instead, we are dealing with a propargylic alcohol and now the thermodynamics are more favourable and the product is an enone. Commercial application is found in the production of citral from dehydrolinalool via vanadium-catalysed isomerisation (Figure 5.9). Note that the last step involves a transfer of hydrogen as well when the enol rearranges to the aldehyde ... 

Cis-trans photoisomerisation in organic molecules is a well-studied process. Photoisomerisation of alkenes and azobenzenes forms a basis for applications ranging from information storage to molecular motors [3]. Usually, due to absorption properties of the organic compounds, UV light is required to initiate photoisomerisation. Attachment of the photoisomerisable units to transition metals opens up a route to use low energy, non-destructive visible light to initiate isomerisation via CT states. 

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