Search for the decay h_c → π ⁰ J/ψ

A search for the decay h_c→ π⁰J/ψ is performed using a sample of hc produced in the reaction e⁺e⁻→ π⁺π⁻h_c. The data samples were collected with the BESIII detector at center-of-mass energies between 4.189 and 4.437 GeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 11 fb⁻¹. No significant signal is observed. Upper limits on the branching ratio B(h_c→ π⁰J/ψ)/B(h_c→ γη_c→ γK⁺K⁻π⁰) and on the branching fraction B(h_c→ π⁰J/ψ) are determined to be 7.5 × 10⁻² and 4.7 × 10⁻⁴ at 90% confidence level, respectively. The latter is derived from the former using the measured branching fraction of the normalization channel. This is the first determination of the upper limit of the decay h_c→ π⁰J/ψ.