Term: photocyclization https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.PT07450 Definition: intramolecular photochemical process leading to carbo- or hetero- cyclic ring systems by formation of one new single bond, either by a concerted process (e.g., electrocyclization) or by multi-step processes such as Norrish–Yang reaction, photoinduced electron transfer processes, Yang photocyclization and others. Related Terms: 1) intramolecular (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.I03130). 2) concerted process (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01234). 3) norrish–yang reaction (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.NT07427). 4) photoinduced electron transfer (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04617). 5) yang photocyclization (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.YT07500). Source: PAC, 2007, 79, 293. 'Glossary of terms used in photochemistry, 3rd edition (IUPAC Recommendations 2006)' on page 388 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac200779030293) Citation: 'photocyclization' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.PT07450 License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms. Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.