Mechanism

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The carbonyl is photoexcited, resulting in a 1,2-diradical. In the Norrish type II cleavage the O radical takes a H from the γ- carbon, so that a 1,4-diradical is formed. The latter can undergo fragmentation to give an alkene and an enol or a radical-radical combination resulting in a cyclobutane. The Norrish type II cleavage resembles the McLafferty rearrangement present in mass spectra.