Photoinduced transposed Paternò–Büchi reaction for effective synthesis of high-performance jet fuel

• A novel photoinduced transposed Paternò–Büchi reaction enables efficient synthesis of high-energy-density jet fuels from biomass-derived cyclic ketones and alkenes. • The reaction mechanism, including photosensitizer excitation, triplet-triplet energy transfer, and cyclization, was elucidated via quenching studies and DFT calculations. • Optimized conditions achieved a target product yield of 65.5%, with norbornene conversion up to 85.7% and oxetane selectivity of 76.4%. • The resulting fuels exhibit high density (0.864–0.938 g·mL⁻¹) and excellent cryogenic performance (freezing point < −55 °C), offering a sustainable route for advanced aerospace applications.